In His Shoes The Rehashed Version
by fuuko no miko
Summary: A Lion-O x Cheetara fic written by a Tygra/Cheetara devout shipper. You have been warned. Graphic! Not for the faint of heart or delicate of senses. Alternative universe. Alternative personalities. This...is...Thundera.
1. A Solstice Wish

In His Shoes (The Rehashed Version)

aka Lion-O gets a piece

Part 1

A Solstice Wish

by Fuuko no Miko

12/25/2011.1/12/2012

_Oh no, you didn't!_

_Oh yes I did!_

_Sorry, I just had to do it. I think Lion-O deserves a little better than a one-night stand with Mumm-Ra. Really! I was never into yaoi, but no offense to those who are._

_This takes place a few years after the reestablishment of New Thundera._

_This will also feature from a character in one of my other fanfics. So nice to be able to crossover some characters so I don't have to create new ones._

_Partially inspired by "The Better Cat" and lots of "what if I switched places" movies, and "Groundhog Day.". Yes you will see loads of cliches, though I figured that would still be better than just writing a smut fic without any sense of story. Then that would just be plain pornography. Eh._

_This doesn't mean I give up on Tygra-Cheetara because I do NOT! Just coz you like one pairing doesn't mean you can't write about another one, _ _. Also, to my fellow Ty lovers, you may not like the version of him in this story, just an FYI!_

_This is the revised version. Same content, different ending. The last one apparently got a little bit confusing so hopefully this one will clear the mud!_

He would've preferred a quiet night by the fireplace, sipping his favorite wine and thinking of where he would spend his next hunting trips. But that didn't happen to be the case today. He was required by the old law to hold a ball in celebration of the winter solstice as a tradition in Old Thundera. Goodness knows he was not one to break tradition, especially those that his father had enjoyed the most. Memories, after all, are the only things that a cat can hold on to after all the destruction of the old kingdom.

Lion-O placed the kingly robes on his shoulders. It's been seven years since he first donned this outfit, seven years since he and the remaining Thundercats rebuilt the New Thundera, seven years since he first wore the crown that declared him Lord of all this kingdom and everything that relates to it. He gazed at his reflection on the mirror. While his people, a mixture of Thunderans and new inhabitants from all of third earth, saw their mighty ruler, he still saw the insecure teenager that left the burning debris many a year ago with vengeance in his heart and determination in his soul.

"Are you done preening in there?"

The voice that cajoled him was deeper and older, but still as snippy as its' been as far as he can remember. The tiger poked his head, raising a brow at the king who was staring blankly at mirror. "You can stand there as long as you like but that robe isn't going to look any better on you."

"I'm coming." he tried to muster up as much enthusiasm as he can. He hated parties, and Tygra knew that. That didn't stop him from having to put up one.

He reluctantly followed the tiger down the long hallway leading to the grand ballroom. Tygra wore robes similar to his, although less grandiose.

"Come on, practice that smile. You have to be presentable." the tiger reminded him.

"You should've been hosting this party." Lion-O muttered. Not that he didn't enjoy being king. He loved his position, he just didn't like all the things that came with it.

"Hey I would if I could, but that comes with your territory." the older cat said, "Besides, I couldn't have married your beautiful sister-in-law if I am king. That, I wouldn't trade for anything."

Lion-O spoke something under his breath before plastering a pseudo-smile as he entered the ballroom with his brother. Everyone in presence kneeled as the king of Thundera made his entrance. Lion-O began his rehearsed speech and welcomed everyone to the Winter Solstice Ball, addressing the successes of the year before and announcing plans for the future. After a thunderous clap, he went down a few steps to the banquet table and started the feast.

"Uncle Lion-O! Uncle Lion-O!"

The king smiled genuinely this time as a pair of kittens dashed towards him from the side of the banquets table. He just about fell over when they simultaneously jumped on his lap, causing him to spill his drink on the linens.

"I got here first!"

"Na-a! I did! Right Uncle Lion-O?"

"Children be good now." a stern but gentle voice reminded the two five year-olds occupying the king's lap. Lion-O turned to see his brother's wife smiling at him. She looked as breathlessly beautiful as the day he first laid eyes on her. Tonight she looked radiant in a deep rose colored gown that was weaved for her by the best seamstresses in the kingdom. It emphasized her curves and the mild swelling on her belly that signaled the coming of a third child for her and his brother.

"I haven't seen you in a million years." he smiled warmly at her, planting a benign kiss on her rosy cheek.

"Been busy training clerics, you know." she laughed. He couldn't believe how she handled the strict training of clerics with these rambunctious five year olds keeping her busy. But then again Tygra apparently took the reins when she was occupied. He has turned over most of his military duties to his well-trusted lieutenants when he had the boys with him.

Being a parent came first, was what both of them always responded to him. Of course he has yet to know the feeling. He had not yet the fortune to have children of his own. Not yet anyway.

Rebuilding Thundera had been priority number one and that was where his energy was completely invested in. Sure he had a few flings here and there but none of them panned out to be serious relationships. Apparently none of them liked being second fiddle to the kingdom. Tygra had even tried to set him up with a few princesses from other kingdoms but to no avail. His brother had even joked that celibacy was not healthy for him and he may not even be able to produce an heir.

His train of thought was interrupted by the two kittens bickering on his lap. Their father barked at them to leave him alone and come on over to him. The two each squeezed the air out of the lion by simultaneously hugging him and trying to outdo each other before they jumped off of him. The lion could do nothing but laugh heartily at their shenanigans. He remembered another set of brothers who did the same thing decades ago.

Has time really flown that fast?

"Announcing the arrival of his royal highness, King Arachnor of the spider kingdom."

Lion-O stood up to acknowledge the arrival of one of Thundera's most loyal allies. Since the crossed paths in the Forest of Infinite Tears, the spider king and his army had been strong comrades of the Thudnercats in the battle against evil. They have been constant guests to the new Kingdom.

"Warmest greetings, King Lion-O." the spider king gave him a warm hug. "Your kingdom grows more beautiful every year."

"Thank you, King Arachnor." he said, "As is yours."

The spider laughed, "All that's missing with yours is a queen."

The lion blushed at this comment, "All in good time, my friend."

"I'd introduce you to my sister, but I'm not sure an eight legged lion would look well in your robes."

They laughed simultaneously at that one before the spider took a spot close to Lion-O at the banquet table. The celebrations continued as the night went on. There was dancing, performances, acrobats, much to the delight of the kittens. Tygra took the opportunity to swing his wife on the ballroom floor as the their sons were preoccupied with the entertainment. It was one of those rare opportunities where they can have uninterrupted fun.

Lion-O looked at his brother and the cleric. All these years have not dimmed their feelings for each other it seems. Lion-O has long accepted the fact that he was not the one she had chosen to be her mate. He does get a twinge of envy from time to time, should he be honest with his feelings. He supposed it was true that one never forgets their first.

"I see want in your eyes, dear friend." the spider king commented, breaking Lion-O of his reverie. "Is it something I may be of assistance?"

"Huh?" the lion wasn't sure what Arachnor was implying.

"The way you look at them." he said. "Would you like to be in his shoes?"

He stared wide-eyed at his friend. He cleared his throat. "I don't know what you mean."

"Your brother has a beautiful family. You have your crown and your kingdom. I'm sure at some point both of you wonder what its like to be in the other's position."

The lion king felt a few beads of sweat form on his forehead, he laughed as though to banish the idea from the spider-king's head. "Tygra's quite content with his life, he always tell me. He would never trade in his family for the crown or Thundera."

"And you?"

"I'm fine the way I am!" he reassured, though the look on the other monarch's face said he wasn't completely convinced.

The spider king was thoughtfully quiet for a few minutes before pulling something out of his cloak. It was a miniature crystal ball with a small ball of light in it. He handed it to Lion-O.

"This is one of the most magical things I possess, dear friend. It allows you to cross realities for a limited period of time."

"Why are you giving it to me?" the lion wondered aloud as he accepted the gift.

"I am lending it to you." the king clarified. "To answer your questions and satisfy your curiosities."

He shot Arachnor a questioning look.

"Things you have to remember as you use it." Arachnor reminded. "One, you have a choice at the end of your journey, on whether to stay in that alternate reality or not. If so, you will forget your current memories and take on that new one. Second, once you have made your choice, you cannot change it. Lastly, if you choose to return to your current reality, you will forget everything that has occurred in the alternate one."

The lion nodded, still not sure why Arachnor gave him this magical ball but kept it in a compartment in his robe. He was going to think about this later.

"Care to dance those calories away?"

Lion-O looked up to see Cheetara reaching out to him in invitation. He took her extended hand and laughed as he accepted. "Are you sure you're asking the right cat here?"

She smiled warmly. "I've had plenty of quality time with his royal snarkniness, thank you very much." she indicated her husband who was exchanging war stories with a motley crew of warriors from a neighboring kingdom. She led him to the ballroom floor to a lazy waltz.

The king followed her lead as she gracefully glided to the tune. Dancing was not one of his favorite things to do either, but in rare occasions like these, he was more than happy to oblige. As he had small talk with the cheetah on the state of affairs of the kingdom and how his little nephews got into trouble 24/7, his thoughts began to drift in curiosity.

Did he really want to know what it was like to be in his brother's place? Married to this beautiful creature before him and father to her rambunctious children? Second in command and not the lead monarch in the most powerful kingdom of all of third earth, not worrying about everything as there was someone higher to take responsibility? Would he?

These questions continued to pervade his thoughts even after the ball and everyone has gone. His brother and his family were the last ones to leave. Lion-O had spent an extra hour entertaining his two nephews before finally calling it a day. He remained preoccupied with this idea of crossing realities, much to the dismay of his concubines. They had done their best to satisfy his physical needs yet his mind kept wandering off. After wearing him out, they left demanding that he quit thinking about the kingdom for one night and just be himself.

He went to sleep and woke up a few hours later, as his mind just refused to shut off. Luckily he had declared the following day a holiday and he needn't worry about having to face his court and advisors sleep-deprived and cranky.

He reached out to his night stand and unwrapped the mystical ball he had been lent by Arachnor. He stared at it for a few seconds and wondered.

_Dare I even try?_

Arachnor did say he had a choice, and that should he choose to remain where he was at, he will forget what has happened in the alternate reality. Or he could choose to stay and assume that identity.

The spider king did remind him before he had left that he didn't have to use it either and just return to him on their next conference.

_Maybe._

_Just for one day. _

_It certainly wouldn't hurt, would it?_

Besides, his memory of it will be erased should he not like it.

To not be this Lion-O for one day.

_How on third earth do I use it anyway?_ he wondered. The spider king didn't tell him what to do with it.

_I'll ask him tomorrow_. With this he tried to return to sleep again and this time succeeded.

Lion-O felt the warm sun in his face. He just about bolted out of bed thinking he was late for a council meeting when he remembered it was a holiday. He sighed in relief and turned to the other side, almost leaping out anyway when he saw there was another person in the bed with him.

The silky, golden tresses were a familiar sight to him, just not under these circumstances.

"Someone's awake." her voice was too familiar as she turned to him, eyes still half-closed, a sweet smile on her lips. "Good morning."

The look on his face was likely strange, as she laughed heartily when he didn't reply. She got up partially and planted a light kiss on his lips. When she did, she exposed her upper body which showed she was wearing but a flimsy nightgown that left little to the imagination.

The lion swallowed.

"Must be that dinner last night." she concluded as she snuggled back under the covers. "I told Panthro those mushrooms can get weird after a while." she closed her eyes and seemed to lull back to sleep after a few moments.

Lion-O lay there, still trying to wrap his head on why his sister-in-law was in bed with him and how she didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with it. He didn't recall eating any mushrooms the night before and certainly didn't remember any on the banquet table either.

_What on earth is going on here?_

His gaze turned to his night stand where the crystal ball sat. It was still there, but the light that glowed in the middle of it now appeared to be of a different color. It was now red as previously it was blue.

_Whiskers._

He wandered around his chambers and for the most part it was exactly the same as it was in his reality. Save for the enormous painting of his wedding which stood in the middle of the wall. From it he can also tell that he was still king, as he was donned in his typical thunderan robes. The crown which he usually kept in a glass case at a corner of the room was still there, although this time right next to it laid a queen's crown which goes without saying belonged to the cheetah who was snoring gently in their royal bed.

_What else is different then?_

He looked out at the courtyard. Even this was an exact replica of what it was where he had come from. Even the guards were the exact same people in the exact same position. The gardens were the same, the gates were the same, even the whole village beneath the palace was the same, down to the last detail.

"Are you coming back to bed or do I have to drag you?" a voice from under the covers barked seductively at him. She was up sitting, her hair tousled in a come-hither kind of way, one strap of her nightgown slipped on one shoulder, partially exposing the top of her well-formed mounds. The thin material didn't hide the perky pink peaks beneath them, nor did they shield the fine globular shapes underneath.

His mouth suddenly felt all dry.

"Ummmmm…"

She rolled her eyes and tossed her hair aside. That very move gave the lion a very unusual sensation at the pit of his stomach. He felt as though his knees were going to do him in when she threw the covers aside and swung her long, shapely legs over. Her long, white, sleeping attire was practically non-existent as it left little to nothing to the imagination. He could tell as the suns rays filtered through them that all she wore underneath was some silken underwear whose hues blended perfectly with her fur.

"What?" she raised a brow as she approached him while he stood frozen by the palace window, "Don't I turn you on anymore?" she whispered in his ear as she licked it. Her hand slid suggestively on the small of his back as she pressed her well-formed chest against his naked one. "Did you meet someone while you were out in your travels who could please you more than I can?" her voice pretended to be hurt by his lack of response to her seduction.

_Whiskers. Double fucking whiskers._

He gulped as her hands got to the waistband of his drawers. She slid them down as she descended herself, in the process rubbing her body against his. He shuddered at the heat that her contact provided him. He felt his cheeks flush at the site of her right across his now stimulated manhood, watching her lick her lips in anticipation and marveling at the hunger in her eyes.

"I missed you my king." she spoke softly, "Two weeks is too long to leave the queen starving."

He held in a breath as he watched her take in his length inside her mouth. He had to hold on to the ledge of the window he was standing by as he felt his knees weaken. He knew he was more than average sized and the state of being excited contributed to it more. How she could fit all of him all the way back to her throat left him speechless, among other things.

She licked. She sucked. She pulled him in and out of her mouth so effortlessly it was beyond his comprehension. Not that he could think straight right now. It seems as though all the blood has been drained off his head and had gone down to his groin. He grasped locks of her hair as he tried to keep her from changing her mind and leaving him high and dry. He felt himself on the brink of ecstasy when she slowly pulled away and pushed him towards the bed.

He fell over the soft mattress and before he could blink she was already on top of him, her legs straddling his thighs.

"Good morning to you too." he managed to muster before pulling her towards him to plant a longing kiss on her mouth. He had decided it was his turn to play aggressor as his tongue invaded. He grabbed hold of her nightgown and ripped it in half before tossing it carelessly on the floor. He pushed her off of him and reversed their positions, his two muscular arms holding her captive between them as she laid on the pristine, white sheets, her hair spread like a golden blanket on the pillows.

He stared at her for the longest time, taking in her breathtaking beauty. Her lips naturally pink and swollen from making love to his member, they were partly open and panting from his rough play. His gaze wandered to her long, supple neck, longing to taste every inch of it, then went down to her heaving chest. Her bosom was well-formed, the mounds like sloping mountains with pink peaks that were hardened from excitement. He wondered what they would feel like against his roughened tongue. Then he looked down her waist, down, down, down to the still covered triangle of pleasure where he ached to be in the most. Her legs were slightly parted and in between he noted that her silken underwear was wet.

He felt as though his heart was going to explode with desire. This was all too much to be taking in at 7 in the morning. He didn't even know where to begin.

"I love you, my sexy king."

It was all he could handle.

He covered her mouth with a long, deep, kiss. His tongue outlined the shape of her lips before penetrating her mouth. He sucked at her tongue like a starving man. His hands wandered to the rest of her warm, enticing body. His palm traced her curves, feeling, pressing. Once he had a fill of her mouth, he moved sideways to trace a path to her ear, nibbling and licking all the way down to her neck. His exploring hands then went to her breast, squeezing and letting the nipples pucker in between his fingers as he rubbed them. He heard her gasp when his mouth covered the peaks, suckling at them like a newborn would. As he did, his claws found their way to the sides of her hips. He tugged impatiently at her panties and literally ripped them off of her, not caring where they landed or if they even made their way to the open window. At this point he had no coherent thoughts put together. All he wanted was to absorb all of her into him and keep it that way.

His tongue made its way in a straight path down her abdomen. His hands pried her thighs apart, squeezing her cheeks in the process. He figured he was going to slowly torture her by not giving what she wanted right away so he moved up to her knees, slowly licking his way down towards the middle of her thighs. He placed his fingers where she wanted his mouth to be, lightly rubbing her glistened folds and inserting two of his fingers inside. He felt her move restlessly underneath his touch as he pushed his fingers in and out.

"Lion-O…."

He loved hearing her moan like that, hell he could listen to it over and over and not get tired of it. He felt her clutch his hair, pushing his face to where she had wanted him to be. The king obliged, more than happy to do so to please his queen. She screamed loud enough to shake the walls when he put his mouth to her wetness. He drew lines up and down from where her cheeks met up to the spot of her utmost pleasure. He nibbled at the swollen gland, taking tiny bites, following her gyrating hips as she pressed them harder against his mouth. The more he pressed his tongue, the wetter it had gotten. He sensed her muscles clench against his tongue, knowing she was closely getting to her heights of pleasure. He sucked hard, once, and felt her explode against his mouth followed by her body spasm, her fluids spilling over on his lips.

The lion smirked, not a very common thing for him to do, but he was quite pleased seeing her face fulfilled as she lay panting on the bed, her ecstasy leaving a very obvious spot on the sheets. She was still on the throes of orgasm, he could tell, as her claws clutched tightly at the pillows, threatening to rip them open while her eyes remained closed.

"Ready for more?"

She nodded as he pulled her hips forward, positioning himself where he had been aching to be since the start of this encounter. He seemed to be taking his sweet time punishing her as his organ slowly made its way inside her. She literally felt it throbbing inch by inch as it penetrated her depths. The lion jolted her surprised when at the last second or so he plunged full force inside her. She ended up biting a pillow as he started thrusting back and forth almost violently, sending a delicious pain up into her spine and between her legs. She drew her claws against his back, scratching him to the point of near bleeding and cried once more as she reached a mind-numbing orgasm, her back arching as far as it would go, pressing her body against her king.

Lion-O roared as he reached his peak, shuddering as he did while he spilled his bodily fluids inside his queen. He felt almost breathless with his release, falling on his elbows and finally rolling on to his side. He felt like his entire body was going to explode at that moment. He had sank into the pillows and sheets, exhausted and overwhelmed.

It took a few minutes before any of them spoke. The cheetah had turned to his side, smiling coyly at him, cheeks flushed. "I guess you missed me too." She planted a light kiss on his mouth before snuggling into his arms.

You don't even know the half of it, he smiled contentedly, closing his eyes and savoring her warmth and the smell of blossoms in her hair before he passed out.

It was close to noon before he even got close to getting dressed. That his wife was insatiable was an understatement. At one point she had even brought in two ladies of the court who apparently were no strangers to their marital bed.

"Pumyra and Verolena." Cheetara had reminded him when the two young felines entered their room while he was still half-naked. They wasted no time in joining the king and queen, doing things he thought were only possible in written literature.

_I could get used to this kind of existence_, he chuckled to himself as he walked down the hallways of his palace. The Lion-O of this world surely had no inhibitions when it comes to carnal affairs. He didn't consider himself that adventurous.

"Father! Father!"

He turned to see a set of cubs running towards him. The older one he guessed was about was 5 and the smaller one around 3. They were his spitting image, red hair, blue eyes, the only giveaway to their mother were the spots on their arms and legs.

"My kids!" he proceeded to hug them and give them a kiss on the head each.

So not only does the lion in this world have a wife and the throne. He had children too.

This seems all too good to be true.

He began to wonder if he wanted this reality to swap with his.

Or is it too early to tell?

"Good day, your highness!"

That voice was familiar too. Approaching from the other side of the hall was Panthro, who still has his arms and was wearing a regal, medal-studded uniform. Walking right next to him was an older WilyKat, also draped in military gear, looking proud and gallant as any soldier of Thundera would.

"Good day, General and Lieutenant!"

He released the cubs that respectively ran towards WilyKit, who apparently was their governess now. Lion-O took to the corridors with his two trusted friends. He was mildly surprised to see that they both held the same positions in this world as well, the only difference being Panthro having his original arms.

"Celebrations too much for you, your highness?" WilyKat joked, as this was the first time Lion-O had emerged from his quarters since retiring last night from the Winter Solstice Ball. It seemed to be the same timeline that he appeared in.

"I am not getting any younger, that's for certain!" he replied, laughing.

"You still have a long ways to go!" Panthro said, "Leoric and Leonidas have at least ten more years before they can fill in your shoes."

They arrived at the throne room where the rest of his advisors were waiting. Although it was officially declared a holiday, the day after the Winter Solstice Ball, they apparently had called this meeting in for an urgent matter that had transpired within the few hours.

Once everyone has settled down, Lion-O eyed them one by one. This crew was no different from his court in his world. In fact, they were a direct doppel ganger of every cat in his advisory. They had the same clothes, the same mannerisms, even the same idiosyncrasies. He didn't have time to figure out how they are not the same company he kept before Lynx-O stood up and made an announcement.

"Bring in the messenger!"

He immediately recognized BenGali, the young white tiger who served both as one of his weapon forgers and one of his finest men. He had been sent only to the most important of missions, so Lion-O knew that whatever he had to say was extremely important.

BenGali paid his respects to the king by kneeling on one knee before standing straight and addressing the royal audience. "After two years of elusiveness, the royal Thunderan army is proud to report, to your highness King Lion-O and your court, that we have captured third earth's most dangerous fugitive."

The whole room erupted in celebration as they knew who the young tiger was referring to. Everyone was jubilant, cheering, save for Lion-O. He of course, had to maintain his royal composure, but mostly kept to himself because he had no idea who BenGali was referring to.

Is Mumm-Ra still alive in this realm? Or Grune? He can't imagine either one existing and have his kingdom still be in one piece.

His question was answered when the white tiger stepped aside, motioning for the doors to be opened. A small army of clerics and no fewer than two dozen soldiers marched in, surrounding their prisoner who was in more chains than anyone can humanly handle. This surprised Lion-O, as the hooded prisoner dragged himself to the center of the throne room. All weapons were trained on him, as though he was going to make an escape within a breath, even though he was chained from neck to ankle. He was visibly defiant, head raised, not bowing or acknowledging anyone. He stood steadfast and proud, seemingly ignoring the weight of the bindings around him and not showing an ounce of fear or trepidation at the gazes that, could they kill, would have dropped him on the spot.

"I present to you, my Lord, Commander Tygra of the Mumm-Ra's Invincible Battalion!"

To say that he was surprised was the understatement of the decade. Had BenGali not pulled the hood down to show the king the prisoner's face he would not have believed it.

Tygra.

His brother, Tygra.

Not just one with the same name, or same coloring. It was him.

This Tygra, however, looked more war-worn. He had a long centipede-like scar extending from the inner side of his right eye to the angle of his jaw, his hair was long at the back, contained in a foot-long braid. On his upper arms deep scars were visible, as were on his chest. He wore a black uniform, similar to all those who had served in Mumm-Ra's army. On his chest, instead of the Thunderan logo was a coiled snake that symbolized their enemy. Sewn on his lapels were symbols that signified his high rank in the mummy's battalion.

He had fresh wounds that were covered with dried blood on their surface. He apparently didn't go down without a vicious fight.

"What's up, Lion-Ho?" he sneered, apparently showing no fear despite being surrounded by weapons and soldiers.

"You will not speak to our king with that contemptuous little tongue!" BenGali motioned to strike the other tiger with his spear when Lion-O motioned for him to stop.

"Miss me, _brother_?" Tygra taunted again, emphasizing the last word, his gaze then shifted to Cheetara who had appeared next to her husband. "Hey your royal hotness, how's it going?" he leered at her, "Is he half the man in your bedroom as I was?"

That earned the tiger a smash on the head with the butt of a sword, courtesy of WilyKat. That dropped the tiger to his knees unwillingly, also drawing a bit of blood on his lip. It dropped rapidly on to the marble flooring of the throne room, staining it with its dark red hue. "Oops, sorry about your upholstery, your majesty." He stood up again and tilted his head, "Although I'm sure replacing it wouldn't cost your taxpayers much."

He laughed out loud as one of Lion-O's ministers ordered the soldiers to take him to the dungeon. The king was still in shock, as he took back his seat. Even though that had unfolded right before his eyes, he could not believe it.

_Tygra._

_Mumm-Ra's commander?_

_What happened?_

"I apologize for his behavior, your majesty." Bengali said. "We thought the punishment we had given him was enough to tame him, but we suppose he is incorrigible."

Lion-O simply nodded. He mustered up a short speech, congratulating his troops for the capture, even though he wasn't sure how and why it all transpired. He did this in haste and dismissed the court to reconvene the following day to decide the fate of their most important prisoner.

"I need to be alone for a little while, my love." He gave Cheetara a brief kiss on the cheek as he headed off to his study. She nodded in agreement and left him to his thinking.

He didn't know how long he spent in his studies, running over the documents and scrolls of the last few years. Through it he discovered that his brother had defected to Mumm-Ra's command, although no one was quite sure when and how it happened. All was known was the one day he had disappeared in battle and had been thought of as dead, only to re-emerge a few weeks later, leading the lizards to roll over Thundera, nearly wiping out the race that had rejected him as king. He also was the one who lead the party that destroyed the elephant village, the astral plane, and had killed many an ally of the Thundercats. He had gone into hiding once Mumm-ra's forces have been completely eliminated and after years of pursuit, they had finally succeeded in capturing him.

Back then, he had always thought there was a form of darkness in his brother, he just never thought it would ever come out in the open. He also never realized it would be this out of control. He had always believed that the good in his brother prevailed over everything else.

This was not the brother he knew. Not the brother he loved. Not the brother he grew up with. This was not the Tygra that their father raised.

The realization fell on him like a ton of bricks.

_This is too much_. He held his head in his hands.

_Just when you thought everything was perfect, it turns out to be naught._

_I guess you can't have your cake and eat it too._

His thoughts were interrupted by the entrance of Panthro.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your highness." The general apologized. He entered when Lion-O motioned for him to come in.

"It's okay, Panthro." He reassured. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I was just checking on you." The panther sat across him. "You seemed to be…shaken, when you saw Commander Tygra."

Lion-O didn't think it had been that obvious, but then, Panthro seemed to be very good at reading him, even in his other life. "It just seemed so…surreal." He said for the lack of a better term.

The panther seemed to agree with him. "I know what you mean." He acknowledged. "I can't believe it myself when it first happened," he referred to the tiger's defection, "One day you're fighting side by side, next thing you know, you're battling against him."

A moment of silence ensued, with the older thundercat breaking it. "I'm sure this is very hard for you, your highness. After all, he still is your brother."

"It is, General, it is." His gaze then turned to the panther, "So, what's next for our prisoner?" he didn't want to mention his brother by name, as it broke his heart to do so.

"We decide on the date of his execution."

The lion felt the color drain from his face. He turned halfway away to avoid Panthro's definite would-be questioning of his reaction.

"Execution…"

"Yes." The panther said matter-of-factly, "He is far too dangerous to let alive, lest he break out of prison." He sensed the hesitation in the king as he continued, "The war crimes Commander Tygra have committed are unspeakable, your highness. Some of them are even too grave to chronicle."

Lion-O could not believe his ears. He felt as though he was in a nightmare. A very, very bad one.

"If it would please your majesty, we could have you do the execution yourself, with the Sword of Omens."

The lion looked at the sword glistening in the scabbard on his arm. The thought of shedding his brother's blood with it made him want to vomit. It took all his strength to face Panthro again and speak. "I will consider that offer, General." He said at last, speaking in a dismissive tone. "Now if you will excuse me, I have to see to my family."

"Of course your highness," and with a bow, Panthro left him in his study.

Lion-O felt that his paws weren't even touching concrete as he headed back to his chambers. The events that had transpired over the last few hours filled his head so much that it throbbed.

_Tygra._

_Dear brother, what have you done?_

_More importantly, was it something he had done?_

He changed his mind at the last minute and turned about, heading for the dungeons.

He knew the dungeon well, and the section where his brother was contained in was particularly special. It was reserved for the most dangerous of criminals. It took seven well guarded doors to even get to the cell, and it was solitary, with walls built three times thicker, the windows smaller and ten feet higher than usual. Even the door was booby-trapped. One who was unfamiliar with it can expect an unpleasant surprise if they even attempt to break out.

When he stepped into his brother's cell, he motioned for the guards to leave them alone, much to their protest. They did, however, stand close by. Even inside the cellblock, Tygra's neck and hands were chained, as well as his feet. Upon entry, the tiger looked up at him, the corner of his mouth lifting, his weary eyes moving up and down the king, as though sizing him up. He didn't bother to stand up and acknowledge his arrival.

"What do you want, squirt?"

Lion-O remembered that term. Tygra used to tease him because of their size difference. Even in adulthood, this persisted. For every inch he grew, the tiger seemed to grow two.

"How are you?" was the first sentence he could muster. His throat felt coarse. His head felt light.

The tiger looked up at him and lifted his chained hands, "Just peachy, how about you?" he drawled sarcastically.

The lion took a seat across his brother, the wanted criminal. He still couldn't wrap his head around that concept. "What happened to you, Tygra?" he finally blurted out. "Why?"

He didn't expect the reply that the tiger threw at him.

"I just got tired of being passed on for, just because I'm not a lion." he spoke so casually that it was like him telling Lion-O he liked doughnuts. Tygra lifted his chained arms and stretched them at the back of his head. "What you cannot earn, can always be taken."

Lion-O stared at this stranger before him.

_Who are you?_

"So," the tiger spoke again, "Are you throwing me a party before you kill me?" he smiled partly, "Oh and how is the queen? You wouldn't mind throwing your brother a bone before his execution, would you? I do miss the way she would cry out my name when we made love, how she would scream and beg for more when I'm on top of her luscious body. Do you like all those tricks I taught her?" he laughed so hard there were tears in his eyes.

It was all he could stand. Lion-O pulled the tiger by the chain around his neck and yanked him so close that their faces were but an inch apart. His eyes blazed in fury. "You, are not my brother." he snarled.

"I realized that a long time ago." the tiger spoke, unshaken. "Never had been, never will be."

He threw the tiger against the wall before stomping out of his cell. The last thing he heard was the maniacal laughter that mocked him as he walked away.

That night he couldn't sleep, even after his queen had worn him out with her sexual appetite. She was spent and was dozing off lightly, naked and tangled in the sheets, not bothering to put back her night gown back on. He had performed a little half-heartedly today as his mind was filled with the events that transpired.

The Lion-O whose place he occupied right now had a lot of things he did like. The beautiful queen whose devotion to him extended into more ways than the emotional aspect. The adorable, polite children who were so well behaved on the dinner table today he thought it was a harbinger of things to come. A massive army led by soldiers he liked and trusted and a kingdom that apparently was the envy of third earth with its prosperity and beauty.

But then, there was his brother.

His brother who gave the word traitor a new definition. Who hated Lion-O and everything he stood for and just about destroyed everything he held dear just to piss him off. He had also learned that this world's Tygra was not only vicious and unforgiving, he was considered the scourge of third earth. Even his own men feared him more than Mumm-Ra, as he can turn against them in a blink of an eye should they do something that displeased him.

Tygra was going to be set for execution in the next few days, and as king of all Thundera, it was up to Lion-O to carry it out. His people had demanded that he bring forth justice for all that Commander Tygra had done wrong.

_I can't, I can't do this._ Lion-O grit his teeth. For no matter how many times he had ran through his head all the misdeeds this tiger had done, he could not get the memory of the Tygra he knew out of it. The other Tygra. The brother who stood by him when the going got tough. The one who saved him from the other princes who used to pick on him for his size when they were little. The one who, although rarely, took the blame for his little misdeeds in the castle. The one who would tell him at bedtime that the boogeyman had to face him before he could get to Lion-O. The one who put himself on Mumm-Ra's sacrificial altar to take his place during the final days of the war before they had claimed victory. They had their bad times, and good times, but in the end, he knew that the Tygra of his world would give up his own life for him if it ever came down to it.

Lion-O felt something constrict his neck, breaking him out of his train of thought, he tried to open his mouth but no sound came out, and he felt as though he was choking. When his vision was able to focus better, he felt heavy chains on his windpipe and saw Tygra the fugitive above him, pressing his bindings across the Lion's neck, his lips twisted in a diabolic smile.

"You should've killed me when you had the chance, Lion-Ho!" he snarled.

His vision began to fog as the oxygen to his brain ceased flowing, Lion-O reached over to the side of the bed where he had kept the sword of omens. With all his remaining strength he bolted upright from bed and plunged the sword to the tiger's side, pushing it to the hilt as far as he can go.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaar!"

Lion-O snapped awake. His breathing heavy, his forehead covered in sweat. He shook his head several times as though to clear his thoughts. It took him about a minute or so to realize that Tygra was not in his room and wasn't trying to kill him. He breathed a sigh of relief as he fell back in bed and realized he was likely just dreaming.

Wasn't he?

He reached towards the side of his bed, where he felt the magical crystal ball was. It was there, still gleaming like a star in the midnight sky. He stared at it for a long while before coming into his conclusion.

"Thanks but no thanks, dear friend," he said as though addressing Arachnor. "I realize that there is no such thing as a perfect reality out there and I can't have everything."

The magical ball glimmered as though responding to him. He placed in back in its wrapping and tucked it away at the furthest corner of his nightstand, as though giving it some distance would keep it from messing with his head.

He was alone in his bed, and that seemed to signify he was back in his world. He wiped the sweat off his brow and closed his eyes, that was a close call.

When he wakes up in the morning, he wouldn't have to worry about executing his brother. Thank the heavens, because he didn't think he could. That would have brought about too many questions on the part of his court and that was one thing he didn't want to address.

King Lion-O was just. Not bringing forth punishment to third earth's deadliest criminal was not justice at all.

He was going to have to leave that to the other Lion-O. The one who's probably more familiar with that particular Tygra and would have no qualms about putting an end to his evil-laden life.

It was with this thought that he had fallen back asleep.

He was awakened by the other side of the bed sinking. He hadn't completely opened his eyes and rapidly grabbed the sword of Omens, which lay not too far away from his head. He pointed it towards the other side of the bed where someone had taken seat.

"Whoa! That's a little too kinky even for me, babe."

Once he was done blinking Lion-O's eyes popped open and registered Cheetara sitting on the other side of the bed, dressed in a sleeping gown, her hands up in surrender as the tip of the sword was pointed at her jugular, her coral eyes wide and inquiring.

"What are you doing in here?" he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. That didn't sound right, but his brain wasn't fully functional right now, being jolted out of sleep like that.

That she was wearing a black, frilly, lace number was no help. It dipped low between the valley of her well-formed breasts, a long ribbon barely holding it together, as though inviting him to pull it and see what's underneath.

_What am I saying_, Lion-O shook his head._ This is NOT the time for that Lion-O_.

"Last I checked we're still married." she managed to smile and push the sword of Omens away to the side. "Sorry it took a while to get the kids to sleep. I think they inherited all your energy."

The look on his face was strange to say the least, but she seemed to just laugh it off. "What, did you expect someone else to walk through the door or what?" she raised a brow, "I know there's a whole army of felines out there ready and willing to take my place but they'll have to walk over my dead body first."

Saying the word "body" made him shift his gaze to that very thing.

Well, she did say they were married, right? Nothing wrong with looking….

Or imagining all the things he could do with that perfect form beneath the black gown.

"That's a silly thing for you to say, babe." he replied, trying not to look beneath her neckline and quash the thoughts running through his head right now, "You know you're the only cat for me."

She smiled, her eyes started raking him up and down. "You okay? You look a little pale, babe." she rubbed his back, "Are you getting those insane nightmares again? You know you really have to give that silly ball back to Arachnor." she said,"You haven't had a decent night's sleep since you've had it."

He nodded. That was one accurate statement. "Remind me to have the messengers send it back to him in the morning."

"You best be going to sleep, my darling." she planted a kiss on his lips, "These stupid dreams can't be good for your head."

Seeing her in this alluring night gown was one thing. Feeling her lips touch his was another.

_Whiskers._

The lower half of his body responded automatically.

The tent on the bed covers was unmistakable.

Cheetara's gaze moved towards that bulge, a smile lifting the corner of her lips. "My, my. Someone else is awake." She moved her hand across the area where the sheet was lifted and grabbed him playfully.

He gasped. This was one part of his reality-crossing that he didn't mind one bit.

He had yet to encounter a timeline where his wife was not a sex-crazed bombshell.

She dipped her head and invaded his parted lips with a long, slow kiss that told him exactly what she wanted right then and there. He was trying to catch air by the time she finished marauding his mouth. That his bedmate was not shy in letting him know her desires was the understatement of a lifetime. She ripped his pajama top open, buttons flying everywhere and pulled down his underwear. She moved slowly and calculatingly on top of him, positioning her face on his midsection while presenting her womanhood in front of his. She still had on a black, lace thong that seemed like more of a nuisance as it shielded nothing from his view. The string that crossed her crotch only emphasized that part of her that ached for his touch. He gulped as her womanly scent invaded his nostrils, her nether lips but a breath away from his mouth. She wriggled her well-shaped behind in front of his face as though offering herself to him. He pushed the annoying panties aside and stared at the enticing piece of flesh before him. Her folds were hot, pink and moist as he pressed the tip of his nose against it, as though taking in the smell of her desire to mate. He held a breath as he felt her take his arousal in her mouth, feeling the tip of her tongue slide on his endowment and swallow him whole. He felt the muscles on his buttocks twitch from the excitement. He placed his hands on her firm behind and squeezed while she made love to his manhood. He pushed his face against her sweet orifice, tracing a path from her nub up to the area where her second hole was. He felt her stiffen when he licked her long and slow. Felt her get wetter as his long tongue repeated the long, luscious strokes. She would clench her butt cheeks together when he sucked on her folds and just about crushed him with her thighs when he delectably ate the point of her utmost pleasure.

"Oh, oh, yes, yes, more, eat me, please. Gods I love your mouth on me."

His member kept growing in her mouth as she suckled him like there was no tomorrow. He had to keep himself from releasing himself inside her throat. He almost violently flipped over, tore her sleeping outfit off and gave her one long lick on her middle before following a path that lead straight to the middle of her breasts. He held her arms down as he got on top, his tongue lapping alternately on her breasts, sucking, fondling, biting gently on her nipples that were puckered with excitement. She was moaning, squealing, halfway screaming as he kept attacking her body with his mouth, hands and tongue, while preventing her from doing anything as one hand held her wrists together.

"Inside me…now!" she demanded as the first wave of orgasm hit her, making her arch her back in delight.

He placed his hands on her hips, positioned his swollen arousal in front her, before making a last minute switch and turning her over on to her front. He pulled her up to her knees , held her there and plunged with reckless abandon, taking her from behind. She stifled a scream by pushing her face against a pillow. He came in and out of her with such force he could swear he was hurting her, but her screams begged him to nail her harder instead of slowing down. He pressed his thumb against her pleasure spot as he pounded her, causing her to spasm some more in delight.

He squeezed her hips together as he felt himself implode inside her hot, wet, warmth. He released a primitive growl upon reaching his climax. She wasn't far behind him. After about a minute of trying to catch his breath, he fell over and collapsed on his bed.

"The palace seamstresses hate us, you know."

She spoke after a few minutes of quiet comfort in each other's arms. He laughed at her comment. "I think they should just stop bothering to make us clothes for sleeping." he said, "There is no point to it, obviously."

Cheetara moved her head to nuzzle his neck. "You should just be walking around in loin cloth for all that irrepressible appetite of yours." she laughed. "My sweet, sexy, king."

It didn't take long for her to fall into slumber, as physically demanding as their lovemaking was. The lion, however remained awake, his mind racing a million thoughts a second.

Does this mean he still had to face Tygra at the guillotine in the morning?

Is he stuck in this reality, even if he had not acknowledged that he wanted to stay in it?

Where was the spider king when he needed answers to these goddamn questions?

Arachnor is going to hear all about this in the morning. He existed in this world, as Cheetara did mention that. He was going to hunt the spider king down and get back to his own world, regardless. He may have been single but at least his life wasn't this complicated.

Double freaking whiskers indeed.

_TO BE CONTINUED….._

_Author Notes:_

_This was revised from the original mostly since it had gotten a little muddled at the end. That and because I decided it needed a sequel. That of course has to wait a bit, real life gets in the way of our escaped world unfortunately._

_Tygra *pouts*: You just don't love me anymore do you? Making all these fics about Lion-O and giving him *my* girl._

_Me: Have you seen me draw a single fan art of Lion-O, mister? Of course I still love thee, Prince Tygra! How can you even doubt it for one second? Besides, your M-rated story came out first, duh!_

_Tygra: Well then I want another one._

_Me: You know I don't have the luxury of time, so you have to wait._

_Tygra: Prince Tygra waits for nobody._

_Me: In this case you do, because in this world, Arachnor has no control and I write the stuff. Now quit being such a brat and wait. You never know what's going to happen in the next one ;-)_

_Tygra: Can I have a whole slew of female admirers too?_

_Cheetara: Eherm._

_Tygra: I said admirers, babe. You know only you can touch me._

_Cheetara: Right…._

_Me: On to the next fic! _

_Read and review, if you will. Thanks!_

1/12/12


	2. Be Careful What You Wish For

In His Shoes

Part 2

Be Careful What You Wish For

by Fuuko no Miko aka kenumi

1/12/12

_Author notes:_

_I know this should've ended back on New Year's Day, but as a couple of folks have pointed out, I didn't exactly give the story closure._

_Thus the revision of part one and the addition of part two._

_One particular reviewer gave me a hellish idea ergo the return, of evil Tygra._

_Now that it is in my head, I salivate at the thought of making him nastier than he's ever been, I'm also thinking about dishing out some fanart based on him, though my drawings I think are not quite as fanciful as my written works, or so I think._

_No less hentai either. I try, but it never works. _

* * *

"Oh yes."

"Please."

"More…"

He was not deaf to her cries that was for certain.

But he decided he was going to make her wait. Make her want it more. Make her beg for it.

He had woken up this morning to sound of a running bath and humming. It was still barely breaking dawn, with little rays of sunshine beginning to filter through the window. Still rubbing his eyes, he sauntered off to the source of the sound and pushed the curtains aside to reveal his lovely spouse in the enormous marble tub that filled their bathroom. It was filled with warm water, setting off steam inside the room. She was submerged in it, the water reaching to the top of her breasts. She was seated with her legs up, parted quite a ways. He had caught her with one hand on her right breast, a pinched nipple in between her fingers, and her other hand between her thighs. She didn't notice him right away and for a minute or so he was treated to the sight of her caressing herself. She fondled one breast, rubbing the nipple to its firmest, while her other hand was flicking on her pleasure spot, rubbing up and down, and from time to time she would slide a finger into her slit.

The king felt a lump in his throat, his lips parted as his breathing got a little harder.

Gods he'd love to be where her hands were.

Her eyes were closed, her head tossed back as he noted she seemed to be getting more and more excited. She bit her lip as she moaned.

"Lion-O…."

"Oh baby…"

"Mmmmph…"

LIon-O felt his drawers getting tighter.

He didn't know how long he could stand just watching her, much as he enjoyed every second of it. He was severely tempted to jump in the tub with her and give her what she wanted.

He watched her body spasm, her mouth release a silent scream as she reached her heights with her self-stimulation. When she finally opened her eyes was when he stood in front of her direct view, his eyes dark with lust, his desire more than just evident in his underwear.

A smile found itself to her lips, her breathing still a little fast from coming down her high. "I was hoping you'd catch me," she said. She closed her legs and tucked them in under her. "Liked what you saw?"

All he could do was nod in agreement.

Inside his head he cursed out Arachnor. Get him stuck in this reality where he woke up to this beautiful temptress every morning and yet not being able to stay. Then again, that was his choice. He certainly could, but could he live with the consequences?

Those thoughts were rapidly banished from his brain when her hand came up to pull him into the tub with her.

He was quite sure he beat her speed record discarding his own clothing and jumping into the water to corner her. He cupped her face in his hands and gave her a kiss so deep he was sure he cut off her breathing. She returned it with as much passion. He felt her hand behind his head, pushing his mouth more into hers as her tongue invaded his throat. He pushed his naked chest against hers, enjoying the feel of her wet breasts against his. Her nipples rubbed against him. He pressed her against the wall, his hands sliding down to her hips and moving her legs to go around his waist. It was a little tricky with all the water splashing around them but he didn't care. All he wanted was to feel her as close to him as physically possible.

Lion-O lifted her and positioned her on his lap. His hard manhood rubbed against the surface of her crotch. She wrapped her hand around him to try to guide it inside her when he caught her wrist.

"Not yet, my love." he met her lust-filled stare. "Not just yet."

He held her wrists on her sides so as to keep them from moving. He dipped his head in the valley between her breasts, lapping at the water that dripped between them. He could tell by the sounds that she was making that she wanted his rough tongue elsewhere. He smiled as he teasingly lapped on one nipple, then the other just once before going towards her neck. He stayed there, nibbling and teasing for a while before finally letting her wrist go. She tried to push his head towards her breasts, whimpering as she did.

"Lick me."

He lifted his head. "Mmmmm, maybe." he chuckled as she protested. He lifted her breasts with his hands and pushed them together. He fondled them, rubbing his thumb across the pink peaks, teasing them to hardness. He captured it then with his teeth, nibbling, licking, sucking. She pushed his head closer as she moaned in delight. Her nipples were a shade darker by the time he had lifted his head.

Lion-O took hold of the cheetah's waist and moved her up the ledge of the tub, leaned her against the wall. He teased her thighs apart. She was quivering with desire as she watched him move his eyes throughout the length of her body as though he was taking note every inch of her. The look he shot her was one of pure hunger. It made her want him more.

"I want to devour you."

"Be my guest."

He got on his knees and started on her knee. He traced a path with his lips down from there to the insides of her thighs. He skipped her aching center and moved to her other thigh moving upward. His fingers traced that same path, following his mouth. Cheetara tensed her back, annoyed that he wouldn't touch the place she wanted him to.

_Damned tease._

She thrusted her hips forward to invite him, to which the lion smirked. Truth be told he himself could not wait, but he wanted to savor this encounter. He didn't know how much more time he had in this reality before returning to his.

He slid his hands towards her midsection, his fingers touching her nether lips. He rubbed on the slick folds, up and down, parting them slightly to reveal her pleasure points. Her breathing got more ragged as she became more excited. She clenched her muscles when he slid two fingers inside her. A squeal escaped from her lips when he moved his fingers in and out, his thumb rubbing her swollen nub. He went about this for a while as she moved restlessly. When he finally took his fingers out, he quickly replaced it with his mouth much to her delight.

"Eat me."

He was more than happy to do so.

The lion nibbled at her slick, wet folds, inserting his tongue inside her and thrusting, simulating the act itself. She squirmed under his touch, stiffened when he bit at her swollen spot, shuddered when he swirled his tongue around her orifice. She cried as wave upon wave of pleasure invaded her being with his intimate intrusion. She could never get enough of this. Never.

"I want you, my king. Please."

"You can have all of me my love."

He lifted her, wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed her against the wall. He thrusted his eager manhood inside her, hard, fast and without hesitation. She yelped at his sudden movement, then followed it with a fast paced panting as he slid in and out of her tight warmth. Lion-O clenched his teeth as he excitedly slammed her with his hardness. It took ungodly restraint not to explode right away, but he wanted to wait for her. With a feral growl he climaxed, sinking his teeth into his queen's shoulder while she buried her claws on the muscles of his back.

"Lion-O…."

He had marked the junction of her neck and shoulder with his fang marks, as though branding her as his own. He felt his body go limp as he came down from his lofty trip of ecstasy. He smiled as he let them both down into the warm water, the steam had now dissipated and all that was left was a clear view of the two of them submerged in the tub.

They were silent for a while, the cheetah scooted over to the lion, while he wrapped his arms around her waist, buried his face in her soft hair.

"It makes you wonder why we only have two children." she spoke up first, laughing a little, "The way you are, we should probably have 12 by now."

He chuckled, "If we had 12 I don't think I can pull this off without one of them trying to interrupt us."

They rinsed off after and got dressed. Lion-O made arrangements to venture out to the spider kingdom to hunt down Arachnor and get this matter settled. He's still not entirely sure he wanted to return to his kingdom and his timeline, especially after experiencing what he just had. But there was always this hovering thought of the prisoner in his dungeon.

Tygra.

Not big brother Tygra, but Commander Tygra.

That they were distinctly different was a fact, but he can't seem to separate them in his head.

This world's Tygra lacked a conscience. He was ruthless, maligned and had not a drop of remorse in his body. Should he have been someone else Lion-O wouldn't even bat an eyelash in carrying out his execution.

But for one reason or another, he couldn't. When he looked at their prisoner, what he saw was his brother. He who despite their rivalry and differences, had proven his loyalty time and again. He had his back throughout their lives, not always obviously. He sighed and rubbed his eyes with the base of his palm.

_Gods help me._

Tygra's execution was set for tomorrow at sunrise.

He hoped he could be back to his world before that happened, let this world's Lion-O deal with it. He truly didn't want to.

But then he looked back at the lovely wife and the adorable children who bid him goodbye as he galloped out of the gates of their kingdom towards Arachnor's palace.

"Have a good trip, Daddy."

"I wuv you, Daddy."

"Be safe, my love."

His heart wrenched. He's only known them for a short time, but he had grown greatly fond of them. Leoric and Leonidas were sweet, polite children. Mischievous, but not completely out of control. His wife of course…well that goes without saying. He'd spend every breathing minute with her if he could.

He groaned inwardly. Gods why was this so hard?

* * *

Arachnor's kingdom wasn't more than a few hours journey. Lion-O had sent a messenger in advance to notify the spider of his visit. The spider king's kingdom was a replica of the one in his world so it had been relatively easy to find. The spider king, other than a long beard, looked just the way Lion-O knew him. He received a big hug upon his arrival.

"A surprise to see you my friend." welcomed Arachnor, "A very pleasant one, of course. How may I be of service to third earth's mightiest king?"

Lion-O laughed. He wasn't sure how true that distinction was but he accepted the compliment none the less. "I wish to discuss something with you in private, if I may."

This signaled both set of bodyguards away. Arachnor led Lion-O to his study off one wing of the throne room.

When the door closed, the lion took a wrapped package from his cloak. He opened it and presented the magical ball to the other monarch.

"I appreciate everything this has shown me, my friend." he said as he placed it back in the hands of the spider. "But now, I return in to you."

The spider king eyed Lion-O thoughtfully before taking the ball. What he said surprised the lion. "I didn't lend this to you, King Lion-O. I had given this to…that is, the Lion-O of this world."

Lion-O raised a brow, "How do you know I am not the one you lent it to?"

The other king sat back on his chair and cross his human legs, his spider legs coming together in thought, "Well, the ruler of this kingdom, for one, is just a hair more, shall we say, rougher than you are. That is, you strike me as a gentler king."

Gentle wasn't a word Lion-O associated himself with, but he just nodded. "I see, is there, any other difference?"

"Yes." he replied, "You see, the reason I gave this ball to King Lion-O, well, not you, but you know what I mean, was because he was having a hard time." he stood up and walked towards the window. "Nothing to do with his family, that is, or Thundera. Because, as you did see, he has a great wife, great children, and the kingdom is the envy of everyone else, me included." he chuckled before continuing. "It's that rogue brother of his that's giving him such a headache."

"Tygra has been captured."

"I heard!" Arachnor said, "Well that should give him a little peace. The reason I had lent him this ball was for him to go to a place where he can relax a little, if only for the day. Goodness knows what turmoil he's been through with that terrorist running amok."

Lion-O almost retorted that his brother was no terrorist, but held his tongue in check. "Do you know where he is? Lion-O I mean, the other Lion-O."

The spider king scratched his head, "Well, unfortunately all I know is that he's not in this world. The ball transports you according to what your greatest desires are. It doesn't take into account what you may not like about the place its taking you to."

For Lion-O that was the desire to have his own family, and that he did have here. The only catch was having his brother be his worst enemy.

_You can't have your cake and eat it too_, the lion reminded himself.

"Well, if you decide you wish to go back to your original place, how do you do that?" he asked after a long silence.

"Do you?"

He wasn't quite prepared to answer that question.

The other king spoke again when Lion-O turned silent. "I am not sure what my counterpart told you about the ball, but it will allow you to stay if you wanted to, erase your memories and reset everything. However, should you decide to return to your world, you must remember you cannot undo it. You can not change your mind and return here."

Lion-O sighed. This was going to be a very hard decision.

"That you are still here, tells me that you are torn. Your desire to return is as strong as your desire to stay. Once one desire overpowers another is when you assume that reality."

_He's right._

Seeing the lion's frustration, Arachnor placed a hand on his shoulder, "Lion-O, you do realize that you have a choice?"

He nodded.

"Knowing you, as well as I do…" the spider said, "Well, as much as I know Lion-O…not that there's a very big difference between every one of your alter egos….is that you will make the correct decision. That's what brought you glory unto Thundera, and that is why your kingdom flourishes as well as it does."

The study room was quiet for a certain period of time, and the lion broke the silence. "I thought you were my friend, why did you give me this magical mess?"

Arachnor smiled, not seemingly offended by the other's comment, "Because it told me so."

* * *

Lion-O was still contemplating his friend's words on his journey back to his kingdom. Now he was faced with a very difficult decision.

_To stay or to go?_

As he passed by the villages leading back to the castle he noticed the intense preparation of the entire kingdom. A celebration was in order once the most wanted criminal is executed and everyone was hustling and bustling in preparation for it.

Was his brother truly that diabolic?

That his death would be cause for what appears to be the biggest celebration for a kingdom?

He shuddered at the thought.

_Gods, this is awful._

What was more awful was when he found out from Panthro that a handful of other rulers would be present for the ceremony. Apparently they had wanted to see this macabre ritual first hand, as the criminal set to be executed has done them as much wrong as he did Thundera, if not worse.

Lion-O visited his brother one more time, as though that would change his opinion of him. As expected Tygra mocked him, insulted him and just about spit on him when he stepped into his cell. While he had lost his composure for the time that the tiger did these, once he stepped out and walked away, the other vision of Tygra invaded his thoughts. Try as he might, he could not separate them.

_I can't kill my own brother._

_Damn it Lion-O, can't you come back and do this yourself? _

_I wanted a family, but I didn't want to be an executioner._

When he returned back to the palace, he got ran over by his two boys, excited to show daddy the new castle they had constructed out of blocks. He spent the next few hours playing with his cubs, and he just about shed tears of joy just watching them. Their play took him back to his own childhood. Memories of Tygra again. This was certainly not helping his cause.

After taking care of the preparations for the execution to be carried out the following day, Lion-O retired to his quarters. It was late and he had a long day. Pumyra and Verolena were both waiting for him in his bed, treating him to a soothing massage for his aching muscles. He had to turn the girls down when they hinted they were going to give him more than a rubdown. His wife, however, would not take no for an answer. She did most of the work by letting him relax and just lay there. He marveled at the things the cheetah could do with her mouth and her tongue. He felt a rush when she got on top of him and slid his stimulated member inside of her. He gritted his teeth as he reached his orgasm with her ministrations. She got off of him towards the end of his ejaculation and positioned her face by his manhood, catching the last of his seed with her tongue. She cleaned him up with her mouth and watching her do that almost gave him a second coming.

He was beginning to hate this world's Lion-O, as he watched his spouse cuddle up next to him and tell him how much she loved him. He gets this kind of treatment every day? More than once too!

He called his alter ego every foul name that he could think of before his lids were too heavy to keep open.

* * *

The day he came to dread greeted him with a sense of foreboding. The sun was nowhere to be found, as clouds began to hover over Thundera. Dark, storm clouds. The arena where the execution was to be carried out was packed with villagers, as well as visitors from neighboring kingdoms. Lion-O remembered going through a flurry of royalty from other kingdoms, congratulating him on his capture and looking forward to the upcoming event.

Lion-O felt like he was going to be sick, thinking how these people wanted to make a spectacle of his brother's death. He had the most difficult time trying to keep his face straight, managing a rehearsed smile as he greeted visitors. Arachnor was one of them.

"Are you going to be alright?"

Cheetara saw beyond the facade the lion had placed before him. She knew that he didn't like executions to begin with. That it was someone who used to be near and dear to him made it even more difficult. He acknowledged her with a nod, but she knew that something was brewing beyond that poker face.

When the moment came, Lion-O found himself facing an audience of several thousands in a circular arena. In the middle of it was a pit with a guillotine where their prisoner was to meet his end. He made a welcome address, acknowledging everyone and praising his army for the capture. At the end of his speech he mentioned the wheels of justice and how third earth's most wanted was going to meet his. He was greeted with resounding jubilation.

"Release the prisoner!"

The whole arena was silent with the entry of Tygra. He was wearing a black hood, as with all prisoners destined for death. He didn't crouch or try to pull away when they took him to the center of the arena. He walked with a royal air to him, proud and unshaken. Lion-O remembered that stance. Tygra was always one for regal behavior, even with the simplest of things. When he reached the wooden structure, they pulled his hood down, this was greeted a loud wave of booing and catcalls from the audience. The walls of the building shook from the anger and hostility the angry crowd bestowed upon the tiger. To all of which the tiger replied with a smirk.

"This is what I think of your stupid Thundera." Tygra bellowed, spitting on the ground and at the guillotine. This was greeted with an even louder hiss.

Defiant to the very end, Lion-O thought. That streak of pride and stubbornness seemed to carry on, regardless of what timeline he existed in.

Lion-O stepped down from the balcony going down towards the middle of the arena. Normally they had an executioner to carry out the dirty deed, but because of the importance of the prisoner, Lion-O was tasked to do this himself.

The lion was given a long black cloak himself so he didn't need to soil his regal clothing. He stepped aside and watched as they placed Tygra's hands behind his back and made him kneel on the wooden board.

He still couldn't believe he was going to do this.

_Where are you Lion-O?_

_You can do this, I cannot._

_He's my brother._

As though reading his mind, Tygra threw a stare his way. A smirk crossed his features once more.

"You look pale there, mighty king." he taunted. "The thought of killing your brother make you queasy?"

"Be silent!" Panthro who stood at the other side of the tiger, barked. "In a minute you will lose use of your vile tongue!"

Lion-O swallowed. This was proving more difficult than he had thought. He couldn't back out of this now.

"You know, you're mighty brave just standing there while I'm chained all the way up to here." Tygra challenged him. "I bet you would piss in your royal pants if it ever came down to a one on one with me."

"Shut up!" Panthro slapped the tiger with the backside of his hand. "You will not disrespect our king!"

"I disrespect anyone who doesn't earn his title!" Tygra hissed. His gaze turned to Lion-O again, "Just because you're a lion means nothing! For under all that prissy outfit of yours is one scared little kitty cat hiding behind his soldiers' coattails!" his angry voice got even louder. "I worked all my life to get what I wanted while you got everything handed to you on a silver platter you spoiled brat!"

Lion-O was silent this whole time. His gaze didn't move, didn't waver. They met the eyes of the furious tiger, as though responding to his accusations. He slowly shrugged off the black cloak and drew the sword of Omens.

"Release him, General."

Panthro's head snapped towards the lion, "Your highness?"

"I accept your challenge, Commander Tygra." Lion-O responded in a stern, matter-of-fact tone. "One on one, just you and me."

"But, your majesty!"

"If you don't release him, I will." Lion-O shot the panther a sharp gaze. "And give him a sword. We can't leave him defenseless now, can we?"

Panthro obeyed orders reluctantly and took Tygra off his chains. He took a sword from one of the other guards and threw it to the tiger who was rubbing his wrists from being released.

"Lion-O, no!"

The lion turned towards the voice of his protesting wife. He flashed a smile at her and winked, as though allaying her fears with that gesture.

The crowd was in an uproar.

"Idiot then, idiot now." Tygra mocked as he picked up the sword and started charging towards Lion-O.

Lion-O ducked at the violent swing the tiger threw at him. He quickly followed this with a kick to his opponent's legs. This sent Tygra to the dirt. He rapidly got back up and jumped the king, his full weight on the sword that he held, the raw force of this pushed Lion-O to the ground, landing on his back. He was able to deflect a blow the tiger swung at him by blocking it with the sword of Omens. He rolled over to avoid another hit by his brother. Lion-O jumped to his feet and took his turn being on the offensive, charging and using his sword against that of Tygra's. His blows were effectively counteracted by his opponent, much to his chagrin.

Looks like this world's Tygra was just as good at sword fight as his brother was.

They circled each other, waiting for the other's move, breathing hard as they sized up each other.

"Kill. Kill. Kill."

The crowd started chanting, Tygra flashed a knowing smile at him before raising his sword above his head and charging full-force towards him. Lion-O sidestepped to avoid his brother but what he didn't see was that the tiger put on the brakes a foot after he passed him, made a quick turnaround and threw his body against the lion, knocking him off his feet and making him lose his sword. The sword of omens flew about five feet away. Lion-O scrambled to get on his feet but the tiger was quicker and had taken hold of it.

Tygra paused to eye the sword of omens. He raised it to his eye level while keeping an eye on the lion who didn't have a weapon in his hands.

"Ah my beauty." the tiger spoke to the sword. "Like everything else, you should've been mine." He held on to both swords, twirling them on each hand. "Well, well, guess it's not my blood that's shedding in the arena today." with that he attacked with the two swords, swinging them as he charged. Lion-O narrowly avoided his brother's attacks, and at one point one of the swords sliced his arm, making it bleed and spray all over the place.

The crowd was getting hostile, making nasty calls and comments about Tygra as the latter ignored them. His eyes were blazoned with fury as he appeared to have but one thought in his head.

Kill Lion-O.

Lion-O had never seen this darkness within his brother. Not even when they crossed swords at the astral plane. Then again he had to remind himself, this wasn't the Tygra he knew. This was this world's version of his brother. They were not the same person.

With this thought in mind, the lion blocked Tygra's attack with his arms. The blade of the crossed swords against his arms again drew blood from him, the sight of which made the tiger laugh maniacally. The latter pushed harder, and Lion-O felt the blades slowly sink into his skin.

"Ready to die, King Lion-O?" his adversary taunted.

"Die? No way. I've got a hot wife waiting in bed for me. I don't know what you've got to come home to."

Tygra squinted. A corner of his lip twitched.

The momentary change in the tiger's expression didn't miss the monarch's eye. The thought had crossed Lion-O's mind but a few seconds ago. He had wondered if this world's Tygra carried a torch for Cheetara too, and judging by the way he reacted, he most certainly did.

He had found the one thing that would faze his adversary.

With all his might, Lion-O pushed against the swords, despite the fact that they were making him bleed more, and when he got enough distance, he planted a kick against the tiger's abdomen, sending him a few feet away, dropping both swords. The lion seized the moment and made for the sword of Omens. Tygra made a grab for his own sword. The two combatants faced each other again, circling their opponent like predators on their prey.

As though on cue, the sky had gotten darker, the clouds coalescing towards the center of the arena, thunderclaps started to rumble, and the rain began to fall. The pelting of the rain didn't seem to bother the awestruck crowd as they continued to cheer on their king and jeer his opponent. The dirt that had covered the arena floor had now morphed into sticky, slippery mud.

Lion-O took the offensive on this turn, lunging at his brother with the sword of Omens. Tygra avoided the swing but had slipped at the last second and had the sword of omens graze his unscarred cheek.

"Now you've got matching scars." Lion-O commented.

Tygra wiped the blood off with the back of his paw. "I still look better than you."

They were both bleeding now, though the lion's wounds had begun to slow down trickling blood. They continued to exchange blows, the clash of metal overpowering everything else that sounded off. They took turns gaining the edge and for a while it seemed like this battle was not going to end.

"He should've just let him die on the guillotine!" One of the other kings protested. He turned to Cheetara, "Your highness why is the king risking himself for this terrorist? It is not worth it!"

Cheetara wasn't sure how to answer him. She herself was puzzled at the turn of events. She herself felt her gut wrench at the battle transpiring before her. Much as she knew how good in battle her spouse was, she did not know the extent of his adversary's repertoire.

"Be safe, my love." She mumbled. On her side, she clutched at her staff. She carried it wherever she went, even if she hasn't used it in battle in years. One never knows when one needed it. She was ready to intervene in case there was an insurmountable threat.

"This is beginning to be a bore." Tygra snarled as they clashed swords again. They were standing in the middle of the muddy arena, both covered in blood and dirt, the rain pounding mercilessly. Tygra then ran forward, taking to the air and raising his sword above his head. Lion-O posed to block it with the sword of Omens but at the last second Tygra moved his sword towards his left, striking the king's wrist and making him drop the sword of Omens. The tiger landed on the lion's chest, rapidly discarding his own sword and catching Lion-O in a stranglehold.

The crowd gasped as the king fell backward with Tygra's hands on him in a tight noose on his neck.

This was starting to be like his nightmare.

The tiger looked ominous with the stormy sky as his backdrop, his gaze was murderous, his hands closing in on his airway tightly like a vise. Tygra was straddling him with his full weight and pressing on his chest. Lion-O struggled to breathe as he felt his vision begin to darken.

"You deserve nothing!" Tygra screamed at him, "Not the kingdom! Not the sword! Not your wife!"

Lion-O struggled to reach for his sword. He felt through the mud, turning his gaze to look for it. It was but inches from his reach. He tried to scoot over but his brother's weight on him was making it difficult.

Seeing where his gaze was at, Tygra reached out for the sword of omens himself, keeping one hand on Lion-O's neck and pressing his weight more. He drew the sword upwards, aiming for the king's chest.

"Goodbye, _brother_."

The eye of Thundera gleamed.

A bolt of lightning. From the sky.

Lion-O couldn't have believed it had he not seen it happen before his eyes. From the heavens shot of bolt of lightning, hitting his sword and striking his brother.

The grip on his throat loosened. A ear-piercing roar. A bright flash of light.

In a heartbeat, the tiger fell off the king. Falling to the side. He wasn't moving.

The whole arena was still.

Then a thunderous roar of jubilation.

Lion-O slowly sat up, his ears deafened by the sound of joy surrounding him. He felt like he was in a haze, the rain still pounding mercilessly on his form. His gaze fixed on his brother who appeared still, his one hand still curled in the strangle hold he had him in, his other hand open with the sword of omens a few inches away from it.

The lion picked up the sword, his eyes still trained on his brother. He was in a state of shock, not realizing that his court had descended upon the arena and celebrated around him. Panthro and a few other soldiers took the tiger's unmoving form back to the gates leading to the cellblock.

"The criminal is dead!" one of the other royal guests yelled. "Long live King Lion-O! Long live Thundera!"

His chant was answered by the loud response of the arena. The cries of happiness were deafening, overpowering even the sounds of rain and thunder that surrounded them.

Only Lion-O stood still.

Cheetara was at his side, embracing him and cupping his bruised cheek with the palm of her hand.

"It's over, my love." she told him under her breath. "It's over."

* * *

The storm wasn't enough to dampen the spirits of everyone who witnessed the battle. They celebrated, even under the rain. Inside the palace the maids scurried about, helping the guests dry off and wiping the floors. There was drinking and partying and the sounds of laughter everywhere.

Only he was not celebrating with everyone else.

Lion-O had to excuse himself from the merrymaking, choosing instead to think in an isolated balcony on the other side of the castle. The medics have dressed his wounds and he had washed himself clean. His figure remained sullen, and his guests have concluded it was merely from exhaustion of his physical battle, not because of the inner turmoil that brewed inside him.

_I killed my brother_.

No, you didn't, he reminded himself, the sword of Omens did.

Whether it was coincidence or powers that be that enabled that bolt of lightning to hit his brother was beyond explanation. All he knew was that his brother was gone.

_It's because of me._

Had he not accepted Tygra's challenge then maybe he wouldn't have gotten hit…but alternatively he could've had his life ended sooner with the guillotine.

Lion-O was reminded time and again that it wasn't his fault and that he shouldn't feel guilty. Tygra did not die by his hand.

And yet he did.

It gnawed on him endlessly.

He buried his face in his hands.

_What have I gotten myself into?_

Be careful of what you wish for.

He wondered if it was too late to go back. Go back to his old kingdom, where he may have been a bachelor, but at least he didn't have to face this complication. Just because he didn't have anyone there whispering sweet nothings in his ear on a daily basis didn't mean he can't have in the future, right?

He's also still young, still virile, still very capable of producing heirs even if it wasn't with the woman he wanted to be with.

No wonder the Lion-O of this world wanted an escape, even if only for a while, he needed a break.

"Are you alright?

Lion-O turned to see the cheetah but a few feet away from him, a worried look crossing her features. He nodded unconvincingly, "Just tired my love. Tired and sore."

"Would you like to retire to our quarters?"

He was going to turn her down had she been suggesting they engage in intimacies but that was not the case. She reached her open arms out to him and welcomed him in her embrace. Lion-O held her tight, allowing her to absorb his pain, if only for that time.

She felt a tear fall on her shoulder. She held him close, running her fingers through his hair. "It's okay…everything will be alright." she pulled away to look in his tear filled eyes. "Come and rest, my king. Your body and your heart need it."

They lay in their marital bed for a while, Lion O staring at the ceiling, his wife beside him, her comforting arms around him. He quietly shed tears and was glad she wasn't questioning him why he would cry over a dead terrorist. He figured somehow she understood that for all his wrongdoing, Tygra was still his brother and having him lose his life before his eyes was no easy thing to accept. Especially because he thought it was because of him.

He wondered, if his alter ego would have felt the same way.

Perhaps in a way he would. Although Lion-O thinks that the other lion would have known the extent of Tygra's crimes. He would have been a little more emotionally detached. A little less sympathetic. This world's king would probably have let him get the guillotine in the first place, not give him a chance to live by accepting a challenge and dueling.

Well, you do have everything you want now, he thought.

A kingdom and a family.

He should be making his decision to stay. After all, wasn't Tygra's presence the only thing that kept him from wanting to be here?

He's dead now.

No more guilt trips.

Right?

Wrong.

Lion-O released himself from his wife's embrace. He got up and walked over to the balcony, his vision moving to the night sky. He crossed his arms, wincing as a shot of pain went through his body. His wounds were still raw and stinging. Another reminder of the ordeal he had to go through today. He hoped they would heal soon, so as not to remind him of how he got them in the first place.

"Are you going back?"

The voice of Cheetara startled him. He thought she was asleep.

"What do you mean?"

"To your world." she replied, "Or are you staying?"

He shot her a questioning look. How did she know?

She seemed to have read his mind. "I had my doubts." she said before smiling. "After being married for seven years you would think I know my husband." She turned to the heavens before continuing. "I wondered at first because there is very little difference with you and my king, physically, emotionally. Even your scent is the same." Cheetara blushed. "You even make love the same way."

Lion-O felt his cheeks turn crimson.

Her demeanor then changed. "It was the way to reacted to Tygra that made me wonder." she paused thoughtfully. "My king would not have hesitated putting his brother to the guillotine, after…." she began to choke, "After what he's done.…"

She wiped a tear with the back of her hand. Lion-O turned to her and held her face, drying the flowing tears with his thumb.

"I'm not going to taint the memories of the brother you know by elaborating on this Tygra's deeds." She said. "Suffice it to say he got what he deserved."

The lion turned speechless. She knew that he wasn't her actual spouse, knew that he was crossing realities. Would she accept it had he decided to stay?

"If I stay, would you accept me?"

"How can I not?" she managed to smile. "You're still Lion-O, and I will always love you and stay true to you."

He drew her into his arms, holding her, and comforting her. He ran his hands through her hair, rubbed her back, planted a kiss on her forehead.

This world's Tygra apparently traumatized more than him. He didn't want to think what else he had done to his family.

Lion-O pulled back, his gaze fixated on his wife. She looked ethereal under the moonlight, the tears now ceased flowing. She smiled warmly at him.

He put his lips to hers, kissing gently, as though testing if she would still welcome him even if he wasn't her mate in this world. The parting of her lips told him yes.

As the kiss progressed, it became more wanton, more urgent. Lion-O felt a little choked knowing that she accepted him regardless. He kissed her more passionately than he previously had, pressed her body closer to his, savoring her body's warmth. She returned this with just as much enthusiasm and passion as he did.

He pulled back, sensing that if he went any further that he was going to get to the point of no return, he wanted to know if she was willing to go with him there.

She took his hand and placed above her heart, making him touch her breast. Her nipple poked through the thin layer of her dress and he felt it harden against his palm.

"What are you waiting for?" she smiled at him coyly, "An invitation?"

Lion-O picked her up and carried her through the balcony doors, gently laying her on their bed. He discarded his clothing slowly, then proceeded to peel her layers little by little, kissing every part of her body that became exposed. She lay there, unmoving, although her breathing became more ragged as he slowly undressed her. He took in all of her, as though he was seeing her for the first time, even though he was sure he knew every nook and cranny of her beautiful body. He took his time, exploring, kissing, touching her. She had her fingers through his hair as he began from the top of her head, moving slowly down her body, his lips and tongue tracing a path downwards. Cheetara moved her hands across his muscular back, taking care to be gentle on his wounds. She would feel him flinch when she grazed them and she apologized. He didn't seem to mind as much and let her touch him anyway.

The lion felt that his inner fire slowly burning, coming to a peak in his loins. As he went down on her his erection grazed her body, to which she responded with a purr of excitement. He decided he was going to savor this one with her. Enjoy every second that he could. He showered her feet and legs with tiny bites and kisses as he made his way back up. He claimed her mouth again when he got there, kissing her with such intensity, as though wanting to devour her very soul. He slid down again, this time pausing by her breasts, taking them in his hands and gently fondling them before taking the nipple in his mouth. He lapped at them hungrily before biting gently. She arched her back when he did, pushing his head to allow him to take in more of her. He slowly nibbled his way down her navel as she wrapped her legs around his waist. She pushed him away before he got to her aching center, much to the king's surprise. He knew how much she enjoyed his tongue on her and that she stopped him made him wonder. When he felt her reposition herself to take him in her mouth, he realized why. The king tensed up as he allowed his queen to take him all in, savoring the feel of her rough tongue and tight mouth around his manhood. His hands were buried in her hair, encouraging the movements her tongue were making. She released him when she sensed he was coming close and positioned herself on top of him. She gently slid him inside her aching center, squeezing with her muscles as she did. Lion-O gasped. His gaze shifted to the beautiful cat on top of him, watching her gyrate her hips, wiggle her bottom, eyes following the movement of her breasts. Her eyes were closed, her mouth partly open, her chest heaving as she whispered his name in pure bliss.

She then started rocking back and forth on top of him, holding on to his strong chest for support. Lion-O stiffened, as excited as he was watching her enjoy herself up there. Her spot of pleasure rubbed against his hardness and she was in obvious ecstasy. She gasped as he reached out to feel her bounding breasts in his hands.

"Come for me, my love." she whispered as she sensed he was trying to hold back from exploding. She gave him a strong squeeze with her muscles and he let himself go. Lion-O let out a mighty roar as he came inside her. He felt as though he was at the brink of death, reaching the highest of highs with his pleasure. He thought he might've left claw marks on her breasts when he squeezed them as he came. He felt himself sink into the mattress as he came down from his momentary trip to the heavens. His wife affectionately licked the tip of his nose when she finally got off of him to lay by his side.

"You looked so hot coming like that." she giggled in his ear as she snuggled next to him. "I love watching you have an orgasm."

Lion-O then realized she probably hasn't gotten hers.

"Sit on me."

Her eyes widened, "Say what now, my love?"

His free hand grabbed her lower cheek, "Sit on my face, my queen." he ordered. "Now."

"My, my, aren't we getting all bossy." she laughed as she crawled on top of him, crouching above his face and putting her still moist center directly above his mouth.

Lion-O could sense the excitement she was having. Her womanhood was directly above his mouth and nostrils, still swollen from his thick member being in there. He can still smell his scent on them, mixed with hers. He stuck out his tongue and tentatively dragged it across her orifice. He felt her quiver, heard her squeal. He smiled, moved his hands to cup her butt cheeks and pushed her crotch closer to his mouth. He started moving his tongue across her womanhood, as though licking leftovers from his dinner plate. He felt her move restlessly above him as he tasted her, up and down, sideways, moving in circles, from time to time inserting his tongue inside her folds. He would pause at her clitoris and nibble on it, much to her delight. It didn't take long for her to clench her muscles and explode on his face. He thought he heard her scream when she did. He happily cleaned her wetness with his tongue before letting her slide off of him and attempt to catch her breath.

He was smiling like the cat that got the canary after that episode. He was almost tempted to ask her who the better lion was but he held back. He wasn't about to compete with his other self. Lion-O is Lion-O is Lion-O. He simply turned to his wife, held her close before going to dreamland.

* * *

A loud rapping at the door made him bolt from his bed. Lion-O muttered a curse as he slid out of his bed. He grabbed a robe off the dresser before opening the door, still rubbing his eyes, trying to get focus on the figure that stood there.

Panthro.

"I apologize for the intrusion, my king." he said as he took a bow, "But something very important has transpired that you should know about."

He knew the panther wasn't going to wake him up for no reason. This rather snapped him into full consciousness. "What is it?"

"It's about Commander Tygra."

A strange, foreboding sensation found its way into Lion-O's chest. "Is he still alive?"

Panthro met his gaze, the look in them not very comforting, "Worse than that, your highness." he paused before continuing, "He has escaped."

_Whiskers._

* * *

_Seriously, this wasn't supposed to have a part 3._

_But it will._

_Damn my indecisiveness._

_And damn Lion-O for making me to insert more hentai in there._

_Lion *blinks*: Me? You're the one writing!_

_Tygra: You know I've got to admit, those scenes were hot. What would make them hotter is if I were in them._

_Lion: I don't think I'd be comfortable with a menage-a-trois with you._

_Tygra: Ewww…that wasn't what I was implying. Though I'm sorry I intimidate you with my manliness._

_Lion: *facefault* Sure you do…._

_1/20/12_


	3. Making The Fit

In His Shoes

Part 3

Making The Fit

by Fuuko no Miko aka Kenumi

_2/5/2012_

_This is a rewrite. I just finished the official In His Shoes part 3 this morning and….my wonderful 5 year old deleted it permanently._

_My apologies it took so long. But here goes._

_I own nothing of the Thundercats or any of its characters. That honor belongs to Ted Wolff, Warner Bros, etcetera, etcetera._

* * *

The words that escaped Panthro's lips hit the lion much like the lightning that struck his brother earlier in the day.

"He has escaped."

If he was still dazed when he opened the door, he was completely awake now.

_He's alive._

_He's coming for me._

That thought didn't worry him as much as the alternative.

_What if he came for the Cheetara? Or the children?_

"General I want you to secure the princes, and the queen. Make sure they are heavily guarded." he ordered, "I will meet you in the war room."

Panthro nodded and quickly took off for the direction of the princes quarters.

"What's going on?" Cheetara was up now, getting dressed. She had sensed the urgency in his movements.

"Tygra's alive." he hurriedly put on his suit of armor. "He's escaped."

Cheetara gasped momentarily. This was rapidly replaced by determination in her features. "I will hunt him down with you."

"It's too dangerous!" Lion-O warned her as he watched her ditch she queenly outfit for her cleric uniform.

"You forget I was a warrior before I was queen." she winked at him. "Since when did you ever stop me from battle? Besides, you're going to need someone fast enough to catch your fugitive."

Knowing that arguing with her was pointless, he simply agreed as he placed the sword of Omens into its holster.

* * *

In the war room Panthro had laid out a map of the kingdom. Bengali had joined them as well.

"When we first captured him, his hideout was here." he pointed to a series of caves at the foot of the mountain west of the palace. "It was filled with ammunition and medical supplies. We've since sealed it off. He has no other living allies that we are aware of so we suspect that's where he's headed. I've already sent out a party led by WilyKat in that direction."

"Who else is aware of his escape?" Lion-O asked as he studied the map.

"Just Bengali and me." Panthro replied. "Our prisoner had taken down the other three guards who were there."

"I apologize for not being able to contain him, your highness." Bengali said, "I did manage to wound his leg. Hopefully that would slow him down."

Lion-O glanced at the younger tiger. From his injuries he could tell that he put up a big fight trying to stop Tygra. How his brother managed to do it after all that he had been through today surprised him.

Perhaps this world's Tygra was more similar to his brother than he thought. He never gave up. He would fight to the death.

"Knowing him, he wouldn't try to mount a counterattack half-assed." Lion-O commented. "I think we should send more scouts in other directions."

"I'll get right to it." Bengali acknowledged and took off once he got the approval from his superiors.

"We should head west." Lion-O concluded. "Make sure word doesn't go out, General." he spoke to Panthro. "The last thing we need is the whole kingdom panicking."

The panther agreed. "I'll get the Thundertank ready."

"Carry on."

Lion-O and Cheetara made for the children's bedroom, making sure that they were well-guarded and protected. After then, they met up with Panthro and loaded unto the Thundertank. Cheetara went on foot, trying to detect Tygra's blood-tinged footprints in the mud.

* * *

"We were getting him ready for burial." Panthro relayed to Lion-O as he drove the tank as stealthily as he could through the thick, dark forest that surrounded the kingdom. "The guards were preparing to burn his body, just so none of his possible henchmen could get to it. It was then that he bolted awake and started attacking."

"I thought the lightning would've killed him." Lion-O commented.

"I thought so too." said Panthro. "My guess is that he didn't get it full force. You were wearing a metal suit of armor when he was on top of you and its very possible it conducted some of the lightning to the ground instead of just electrocuting him. It may just have paralyzed him temporarily." he cussed before continuing. "Damn cat has more than nine lives."

Lion-O shook his head, almost laughing at that remark. He knew of the many assassination attempts Tygra had been through and he had lived through all of them.

"He's got to run out of luck some time." Panthro snarled before putting the brakes on the tank. Cheetara was several feet ahead of them and had motioned them to halt.

"His tracks stop here." she commented, kneeling on one leg and examining the footprints. "I suspect he may have taken to the trees."

The trio started looking around at the trees. That it was just a few hours after sunset didn't help. The clouds that had hovered around this morning persisted, making the sky look black and ominous. Claps of thunder from afar threatened of another impending storm.

"He doesn't have his whip with him, does he?" Lion-O inquired, knowing that if his brother rendered himself invisible it was going to be close to impossible to find him.

"We confiscated it when he was captured." the panther replied. "Can he turn invisible without it?"

Nobody seemed to know the answer. For all the time they had known him Tygra had always used his whip to disappear.

"I'll go up the trees." Cheetara suggested. "Why don't you guys split up and look for him on the ground?"

They split and mutually agreed to meet up back at the Thundertank in half an hour. They all took flare signals to call for help if needed. Lion-O would've preferred to be with his wife but she reminded him that that would slow down their search.

"Will you stop being a worry wart?" she kissed him briefly before she leaped up a tree. "I can take care of myself."

"He's extremely dangerous." he warned her. "You know him well."

"Exactly." she winked at him before disappearing into some branches. Lion-O sighed. Much as he was confident that his wife was an able warrior, he knew Tygra was adrenalized from his rage.

Hell hath no fury like a tiger scorned.

He decided to prowl as quietly as he could, his ears tuned in for any unusual sounds. The forest was dark and the floor was muddy from the rainstorm today. Much as he tried to be quiet his footsteps made an annoying squeak against the mud. This certainly wasn't helping if he wanted to be stealthy.

He turned when he heard a snap behind him. Lion-O drew the sword of Omens in a flash, only to be disappointed at the sight of an oversized toad.

A sudden flare lit up the night sky. Exploding as it did. Lion-O identified the source of the signal, seemingly coming from Panthro's direction. He took off towards it, cussing as he slipped several times on the muddy forest floor. When he got to the location of the flare, there was nothing there.

Nothing.

No Panthro.

No Cheetara either.

LIon-O looked around him, trying to pick up any noise. Cheetara would have been here too, and given that she was faster than he was, he suspected she had arrived here before he did once that flare went off.

He saw some tracks in the mud, some of which he recognized as the panther's sizable feet. They stopped at one point and were gone once they crossed beneath a tall tree. Lion-O looked up to see if there was anything there.

Still nothing.

He noticed a piece of brown fabric caught on a bush not far from where Panthro's tracks disappeared. He recognized it as part of Cheetara's uniform.

She was here.

Where are they?

How an injured tiger can take down two able bodied warriors was beyond the lion's comprehension. Did Tygra have an accomplice? Did he have powers Lion-O wasn't aware of? Maybe he picked up some tricks while he served in Mumm-Ra's army?

Maybe this world's Tygra was more cunning and powerful than they give him credit for.

The eye of Thundera suddenly turned aglow.

A shift in the air caused Lion-O's ears to perk up. He moved at the last second, narrowly avoided an attack. Tygra reappeared across him. His wounds more numerous now, and some of them actively bleeding.

"I'm surprised you avoided that one." he laughed, "But then again after the thousandth time, you probably should be able to."

"Give it up, Tygra." the lion ordered. "You're too injured to carry on fighting like this."

The tiger raised a brow, his trademark smirk appearing on his features, "Since when did you give a flying fig about my well being, Lion-Ho?" he prowled around the king slowly. "The only thing you ever cared about was your selfish little ass."

Lion-O's eyes narrowed. He knew Tygra was referring to the other Lion-O whose place he took. He isn't completely aware of the severity of their conflict but it must be quite grave from what the tiger was implying.

"Why do you hate me so much Tygra?" he finally challenged. He had drawn the sword of Omens, putting it defensively between them as he protected himself from his brother. "Whatever did I do to you to make you feel this way?"

Tygra's glare could've dropped Lion-O dead on the spot should looks be able to kill. "You can not be seriously asking me that question!" he all but screamed. The fury seemed to burn in his eyes more brightly now.

The lion wasn't quite prepared for what happened next.

Tygra pulled out his whip, took a crack and disappeared within the blink of an eye.

"I did everything I could to be worthy of the title of prince." he heard Tygra speak loudly. "I had to silence all the naysayers out there that I was nothing but a charity act for Father. I had to prove time and again that I was fit to be the monarch of Thundera but you…" his voice lowered a hair but was no less furious. "You goofed off. You did what you wanted whenever you wanted. Shirking off responsibility for your stupid little whims, and yet no one…no one dared question the blood heir to the crown. Nobody!"

Lion-O winced when the whip cracked and slit his upper arm. He turned to where it came from. He watched the mud sink as Tygra's footsteps made their mark on them. He smiled a little. Invisibility isn't going to be completely a hindrance now.

But then the tracks stopped.

What the….

He felt another slice of pain as the whip's tip sliced across the back of his neck. He turned towards the direction, still holding the sword of Omens in front of him.

From what he deduced Tygra had jumped up a tree branch and attacked from there.

The air then became still.

One second. Two. Three.

The lion then felt something wrap around the handle of the sword. It didn't take a breath to figure out what the tiger was trying to do. Holding on to the sword with all his strength, Lion-O tugged mightily, yanking as hard as he could. He felt a give and suddenly Tygra reappeared once he lost hold of his whip. He fell off a tree branch and landed feet first on the ground. Lion-O quickly disentangled the whip from the sword of Omens and put it on his holster. He wasn't going to let his brother turn invisible on him again.

"That should have been mine too." Tygra growled as he slowly got on his feet referring to the sword of Omens. His many injuries obviously kept him from moving as well as liked. "I don't understand why a sword would choose some idiot like you to wield it." His trademark smirk crossed his features once more. "Then again…maybe it wants to protect the weak and stupid, for which you are the perfect candidate for."

Tygra took to the air to attack him. Lion-O swung the sword of Omens to deflect it but at the last second had mud thrown in his face. He felt Tygra kick his hand that held the sword, dropping it. He wiped the mud off of his eyes and tried to see where the sword had fallen.

The tiger knelt a few feet away from him. Apparently he did get hit before he was able to kick the sword from Lion-O's grip as a fresh wound began bleeding on his ankle. Tygra was breathing hard. He didn't know how many more injuries he can take. He was strong but he was not immortal.

Lion-O took the opportunity to charge. He tackled the tiger to the ground. He heard a loud whoosh as his armored chest hit his brother, as though emptying the air out of his lungs. Tygra fell back, weakened by his already grave injuries. That didn't prevent him from talking however. Lion-O was on top of him, his grip tight on his brother's arms.

"And her…" Tygra managed to spew out as he coughed out some blood. Lion-O didn't have to ask who it was his brother was referring to. "I loved her Lion-O." and as he spoke about the woman in question, Lion-O saw the hatred building up in his brother's eyes yet again. "I loved her with all my heart and soul. I could have lived without the kingdom and the sword of Omens, but not without her. You knew it….and you just had to have her too, didn't you? You selfish prick."

The lion didn't have an idea of how Cheetara and him had come to be in this world, and he wasn't about to ask.

"You never loved her, not like I did! She was nothing but a trophy to you! Just another prize to rub in your brother's face!" he accused.

The lion's eyes narrowed. "What do you know about my feelings for her, Tygra?" he snarled under his breath. "If you truly cared about her then you wouldn't be hurting her with all the crimes you've committed."

That seemed to fuel Tygra's anger more as he struggled to free himself from Lion-O with no success.

"What do you think you're going to gain by killing me, Tygra?" Lion-O counterattacked. "Assume the throne? Make her love you?"

Tygra said nothing but the fire in his eyes continued to burn.

"You're already third earth's most wanted, even more so if you kill me." Lion-O narrowed the distance between their faces. "How long are you going to keep running from the law, Tygra? You can't keep running forever. One day it's going to catch up with you."

Lion-O wasn't sure if he was getting to his brother but he wasn't going to stop trying.

"And even if you do manage to kill me, Cheetara will carry on without me. Raise our sons until they are fit to take my place."

The lion felt Tygra struggle less, his breathing becoming more labored. He appeared to be getting pale.

The life seemed to be draining out of his brother slowly.

"Tygra…" Lion-O immediately got off the tiger. He pulled him up against a tree. It was then that the lion saw a gash on Tygra's lower chest that he didn't see beforehand. It had started to bleed.

Tygra had appeared to be getting weaker. He could barely keep his eyes open. He opened his mouth to speak, and coughed up a chunk of blood with it.

"I…hate…you…"

His words sliced through Lion-O worse than any sword could. He knew those words weren't exactly meant for him but for the Lion-O of this world, but it was no less potent than if it did come from the Tygra he did know.

Lion-O held the tiger's upper arms to pull him up to his level. Tygra was fading fast. He shook him a little to wake him up. When he managed to open his eyes, the lion met his vacant stare with his own, "For whatever I have wronged you with, brother…I apologize."

Tygra closed his eyes.

For a minute Lion-O had panicked. Tygra looked dead. It wasn't until he noted the shallow chest rise did he realize that his brother was still alive. Barely. Clinging on to life with a thread.

"Step aside, your highness."

Panthro's booming voice startled the lion. He turned to see the panther slowly getting on his feet. He had a laser gun pointed at Tygra while he struggled to pull a dart from his side. Lion-O recognized it as weapon used in the earlier days where you can shoot someone with a poisoned blow dart to temporarily paralyze them. That explained how Tygra was able to subdue the panther in his injured state.

"No." Lion-O defended. "He's injured enough as it is, General."

The panther's eyes widened at the lion's defense of his brother. "My king I know you probably feel bad since he is your brother but this criminal…" Panthro winced as he finally pulled the tip of the dart off of himself, "This traitor does not deserve to live."

"There is no redemption for this hell-bound soul." Tygra managed to speak despite his weakened state. "Just get it over with, General." He beckoned to Panthro, struggling to sit up straight. "Don't let the king soil his hands with me." The look he shot Lion-O was not filled with the same hatred he had seen earlier.

Lion-O's gaze met with the tiger's. And for the first time since they crossed paths, this time they weren't filled with anger.

"Death…but not surrender. Never…surrender." Tygra mouthed off as Panthro took aim. He turned to Lion-O and in a barely audible whisper he said, "Apology accepted….brother."

"Panthro…stop!"

But Panthro had already pulled the trigger.

Lion-O moved to block the beam. The laser burned through the upper chest of his armor creating a hole.

The compartment it had hit was not empty.

The transference ball was there.

Arachnor had not taken it back.

Lion-O felt a mild burn as the laser hit his shoulder, but the majority of the hit was absorbed by the ball. It fell out of the hole in his armor.

It glowed red and started to heat up.

"What the…"

It took but seconds.

The next thing he knew, Lion-O and Panthro were both swept aside. They were thrown against some bushes by what they later identified was Cheetara who herself had woken up from losing consciousness. The ball exploded, sending a million shards of light in different directions. The explosion lasted for less than a minute and had left a gaping six foot hole in the ground where it had shattered.

After the debris cleared, all three Thundercats gathered at the area where the ball had broken. There was nary a piece of it left.

Nor were there any traces of the tiger, save for remnants of his armor, a small pool of blood and bits of his fur.

The trio examined the debris, searching for anything that may have left over.

"Do you think he's dead?" Cheetara asked as she picked up the snake logo that Tygra had once proudly wore on his armor. It was blood-tinged and broken.

"If that explosion didn't kill him, his injuries will." Panthro replied. "He's not long for this world."

Lion-O said nothing and picked up an old blow dart. He figured this was the one Tygra had used to shoot Panthro and Cheetara and rendering them temporarily unconscious. It was old and had an inscription on it.

_For Tygra. I know this isn't much but it may come in handy someday. I made it myself. Take care, from Cheetara._

The irony of it was a bitter pill to swallow. He placed it in his pocket and kept silent. He found the sword of Omens wedged between a tree root and picked it up.

They searched for over an hour to make sure there were no other traces of the tiger left.

The three of them then quietly made it to the Thundertank and headed home.

* * *

"What do you mean you broke it?"

Lion-O had ventured to see the spider-king the following day. Needless to say the latter was not pleased upon hearing what happened to the transference ball.

"Well, technically Panthro broke it." Lion-O shrugged, "He shot the gun, missed Tygra and hit my armor."

Arachnor's gaze told Lion-O he wasn't completely convinced.

"I did ask you to take it back the first time around." Lion-O reminded him. "Your bad for not taking it."

The spider-king's mouth dropped open. "What?" was all he could reply with.

"The more important question is," Lion-O interjected, "What happens now that it's gone?"

"I honestly don't know." Arachnor said thoughtfully. "I've got to figure this out."

"Well, let me know when you do." Lion-O stood up and left the throne room. "I apologize in behalf of my clumsy general."

Arachnor didn't have a comeback for that one. He slapped his forehead in exasperation. This had never happened in the history of the transference ball and he has not a clue on what consequences it may bring.

* * *

"Are you done preening in there?"

His wife poked her head in his dressing room. Lion-O was adjusting the regal robes he just had tailored for this very occasion. It was once again time for the Winter Solstice ball.

"You know you can stare all you want but those robes aren't going to look any better on you." She laughed as she stepped in the room with him. She was wearing a golden gown that accentuated her curves in all the right places.

"You know I only want to look good for my queen." He winked at her and pulled her by the waist. He planted a longing kiss on her mouth and gently squeezed her bottom. "You look delectable in that gown…" he whispered in her ear. "Even more so out of it…"

"Lion-O! Not now!" She laughed and swatted his hand away. "Your guests await."

"Fine."

Arm in arm they marched together down the hallway leading to the throne room. They were greeted by their sons, both a year older but not any less naughtier. They were dressed in their best regal clothing. Their governess WilyKit was not far behind them, carrying their three month old sister Katarah. She was her mother's spitting image save for the absence of spots. She had the facial markings of a lion. Lion-O loved and adored her, spoiling her like the little princess she was.

The arrived at the grand ballroom, everyone kneeled in respect of the royal family. As with tradition, Lion-O addressed his subjects with reports of the previous year and plans for the year ahead. Included in this year's announcement was the capture and death of third earth's most wanted. Lion-o did his best to conceal the shaking in his voice as he mentioned Tygra's death. He almost wasn't able to pronounce his name as he did, but no one seemed to notice except for Cheetara who cast him a sidelong glance. This was greeted a thunderous applause and enthusiastic chanting.

"Long live King Lion-O! Long live the royal family!"

Lion-O acknowledged the crowd and signaled the beginning of the festivities. The music started playing, the entertainers started performing and his subjects started partaking of the regal feast before them.

"I'm so proud of you." Cheetara smiled at him and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"I couldn't have done in without you, my love." He kissed her back. He led her down the stairs to where the banquet table stood and sat down to take their meal.

As they ate Lion-O's gaze wandered to where WilyKit sat with the children. That was where Tygra used to sit in his world. He had to admit, he missed his brother dearly. He often wondered what he had been doing, if Cheetara had given birth yet and whether they had a son or daughter. He had pleaded with Arachnor several times to allow him to see what had been going on in his world but the spider had told him that that was technically forbidden.

His thoughts then wandered to the other Tygra. The evil alter ego of his brother. The one who may or may not have a slight change of heart while in his deathbed.

He's not even sure if he really is dead.

Could he have escaped again? They never did find an actual corpse.

But the fact that he had never resurfaced after that explosion gave Lion-O some form of solace. He may have truly died, or gone completely underground. Maybe he had a change of heart and decided he was going to give himself a new life or new identity.

Deep in his heart he knew that that was the last he was going to see this incarnation of his brother.

Arachnor did find out what the consequences were of the ball exploding.

Lion-O was going to be stuck in this world.

Forever.

He certainly didn't mind that, once the spider king told him so. His only regret was that he was going to miss Tygra…his brother, not the rogue commander from Mumm-ra's army. He certainly hoped that the other Lion-O that he displaced wouldn't mind so much, though Arachnor did mention something about being content in where he was.

He knew he was.

The one thing that did keep his memory from being completely reset were the good memories of his brother. He preferred it that way too. He had no desire to learn of the evil version of his brother's misdeeds.

The ball apparently worked in absolutes. All or nothing.

He turned to look at the beautiful cat seated next to him. Coming here he had realized he wasn't completely over her, and that those feelings had resurfaced. In this world he had her and their children and that made him happy.

In his heart, he wished that Tygra, evil Tygra, should he be alive, be able to find happiness as well. Life was too short to drown yourself in thoughts of hate and misery.

* * *

"Lion-O, someone's going to catch us!"

He sealed her mouth with his to keep her quiet, letting her know that if she kept talking someone will indeed find them.

The Winter Solstice ball was taking longer than he had patience for. It seemed like it was going to go on forever. Once he had his wife in his arms during a waltz, he had swept her across a hallway that was seldom used. He had passed Panthro on the way and gave him a knowing nod, to which the panther sighed. Meanwhile he pulled the cheetah behind a pillar where he pinned her against the wall and prevented her from talking by kissing her deeply against her protests.

Once noting the hallway was empty, he quickly shuffled her off to his study where he bolted the door behind them. He wasn't going to allow anyone to interrupt them.

He playfully pinned her against the wall, his chest pressing against hers. He could feel her heart racing with excitement, palpitating against his. He placed his arms on either side of her, trapping her as he bent down to graze his lips against her warm neck.

"Your fault for wearing that damn gown." he whispered as he started tracing a path on her soft neck with his mouth and tongue. "Did you see how many of those other kings kept undressing you with their eyes?"

She laughed heartily. "Unfortunately for them I only allow one king to undress me with both his eyes and his hands." she ran her hands across his back, moving upwards to run her fingers through his soft, fiery tresses.

He tugged at her fine straps with his teeth, allowing them to slide over her shoulders and fall on the wayside. This revealed her well-formed breasts to him. She had been breastfeeding their daughter and they had gotten fuller from the breast milk. Lion-O would be lying if he didn't admit how tempted he was to take over every time baby Katarah was done eating. He took one of the turgid nipples in his mouth, savoring its fullness. Cheetara gasped as his rough tongue circled the sensitive tips. A low moan escaped her throat as her excitement grew.

Lion-O's right hand snaked up the hem of her gown, running his hands across her thighs. He lifted her leg and placed it on his hip as he pushed his lower abdomen against her, letting her know the extent of his arousal. His hand crept towards her midsection, prowling to the center of her womanhood. His fingers slipped in between her legs, feeling the warm heat within them.

"What? No panties?" he voiced out his discovery, pretending to be upset when in truth it had excited him even more knowing she was prancing around without underwear.

"This thing was so clingy on me that the lines were showing." she spoke in between breaths as he probed her wet depths. "It's not very appropriate for me to be panty-flashing the whole kingdom…" she gasped as he flicked her most sensitive nub."B-besides, I wore a slip beneath it…ohhh…"

In one sweeping motion the lion cleared out his study desk, dropping the books and maps to the floor. He pushed his wife on top of the table, hiking up the skirt up to her waist and pulling her to the edge of it, letting her buttocks partially hang on it. He rapidly discarded his own clothes, ripping a seam here and there as he did. They were becoming rather tight and uncomfortable as the heat suffused through his body. He went down on his knees and pulled his wife towards his eager mouth.

"Mmmmmmmm…."

"Lion-O….."

He had parted her legs wide, putting them on each of his shoulders. He held on to her hips as he introduced his mouth to the center of her arousal. She had locks of his hair entwined in her fingers as he lapped at her sweet core, tasting her hungrily. He sucked at her swollen lips, teased her sensitive spots with the tip of his tongue. He had found her g-spot and started flicking it with his finger once he verified that it was indeed her point of utmost pleasure. He ate her out like a starving man.

She tensed up as she felt a wave of orgasm slowly start to spread from her center going outwards. She bit her lip to keep from crying out loud when she climaxed. She felt her inner nectar spill onto her lover's mouth as he clamped his lips against her nether ones. She was coming down from her high when she felt his thick member position itself just on the outside of her orifice. Its' tip teasingly rubbed against her. She was ready for him but he seemed to be holding back some.

"Say it."

"Say what, my king?" she replied to his demand almost breathlessly.

"Tell me how much you want it."

Cheetara wasn't sure why he chose this particular time to play hard to get but she was willing to play his game, if only to feel him inside her.

"I want you, my king." she pleaded.

"Not good enough."

"I want you my love, please…."

He stayed completely still.

"Fuck me, Lion-O. Now."

That wasn't a request. That was an order.

"As you wish."

He rammed himself inside her, to the hilt, hard. Cheetara bit her lip as he started pounding her. Forget the uncomfortable, hard desk she was laying on. All that mattered now was his throbbing shaft that slid almost violently in and out of her. She wrapped her legs around his waist to allow him better access to her. She dug her claws against his hips as she felt another orgasm hit her. She wasn't quite done when he pulled her off the table, flipped her over and started taking her from behind. He spread her legs wide, squeezed her buttocks harder, as he buried himself in her warm core. Across the table was a full length mirror where she could see him penetrate her, watch him grit his teeth, clench his jaw with pent up excitement. Her breast bounced with every movement he made against her. It was one of the most erotic things she had ever seen.

"Lion-O…" she gasped as she felt she was going to climax again.

He loved hearing her say his name. It was an affirmation that she belonged to him. Heart. Body. Soul.

He finally released his warm fluids inside of her as he imploded. He held on for as long as he could and the release was exhilarating. He thought he heard her whimper when she came a third time. Once sated, the king slowly got down on his knees and fell limp on the carpeted floor, his wife following suit right after.

"We should do this more often." She nuzzled at his neck as she cuddled up next to him. He pulled her close and planted a kiss on top of her head.

"As if we don't do it often enough…" he chuckled as he buried his face in her sweet-smelling hair.

"Why Lion-O, are you getting tired of me?"

"I've waited too long in the sidelines, my love." He spoke tenderly, "I will never, ever be tired of you."

They fell asleep that way. Cheetara with her gown bunched in the middle and Lion-O in nothing but his fur. They woke up several hours later and made love again before redressing and sneaking back into their quarters. Panthro was left holding the bag at the solstice ball. He had to come up with an excuse on why the king and queen weren't there to bid their guests goodbye. The panther shook his head, one of these days he was going to have a serious talk to the king about a pay raise for all the extra things he does that weren't on his job description.

* * *

The lion stirred. It was still dark, he guessed about a few hours before dawn. He thought he heard a sound within their chambers. He took hold of the sword of Omens that lay next to his bed and slowly got up. He tiptoed around his quarters, eyes sweeping the room for anything suspicious.

"Lion-O."

His glance rapidly shifted to the source of the sound, which to his surprise was coming from the mirror. The glass had an eerie bluish glow to it. He carefully crept towards it. He saw nothing but his own reflection, but once his gaze adjusted he noted that the reflection was wearing different clothing from himself.

"It's me." the reflection spoke. "The other you."

Lion-O rubbed his eyes. Did he have too much wine at last night's festivities?

"No, you're not dreaming." the image on the other side laughed. "I'm the one whose spot you are currently in." He cleared his throat before titling his head towards Cheetara's sleeping form. "That's my wife right there."

That sentence seemed to snap Lion-O awake. He stood directly in front of the mirror, his eyes going up and down examining the figure before him. They are of course spitting images of each other, the difference was very subtle. The other Lion-O appeared more weary. Tired, so to speak. A little rougher around the edges.

"Now technically what I'm doing is forbidden, "the reflection said. "But I figured I should talk to you at least once."

The lion put the sword of Omens down, his eyes still very alert and attuned to the reflection's movements.

"How do you like it there?" the other lion asked.

Lion-O's gaze shifted to the sleeping cheetah, "Well…"

The other lion laughed, "Oh I know…little tigress in bed isn't she?" he remarked. "Sorry, pun not intended."

"Where are you at?"

"In your world." he replied. "Where you actually get along with Tygra." the smile on his face showed contentment.

Lion-O was almost afraid to ask but he did. "How do you like it there?"

"A lot actually." the reflection answered. "You know, after almost a decade of dealing with a renegade prince that doesn't know when to quit, a little peace of mind is most welcome."

"Don't you miss your family?"

"I do of course." the other lion said. "Tygra's boys remind me so much of my own. They're a little more hyper than Leoric and Leonidas though." he laughed. "Your sister-in-law gave birth to a third boy, by the way. They named him Claudus."

Lion-O smiled. He thought that was thoughtful of his brother to name the little one after their late father.

"A bit unusual considering the little squirt looks like a blonde tiger, but he's very adorable." he answered the question in Lion-O's head.

"So…are you coming back here?" Lion-O finally voiced out the query he's been dreading to ask.

The reflection sighed. He lowered his head and picked up an imaginary piece of lint on his clothing. "That's what I'm here to talk to you about."

They both grew silent for a short moment, eyes meeting each others'.

Lion-O wondered if his counterpart knew that the evil version of their brother was gone.

_Should I tell him?_

Then again he thought that it wasn't possible for him to go back since the transference ball broke. Was Arachnor wrong?

"When I left there, there were many unresolved issues." the other lion began. "Cheetara and I were having marital problems. The stress of dealing with Commander Tygra was getting to me. It has affected my marriage. Thats why I took a two week hiatus to clear my head. That's when Arachnor gave me the ball….and I arrived here."

"I see." Lion-O said thoughtfully. "He's….Tygra I mean. He's gone." He thought he would be honest. No sense in hiding the truth.

The other lion didn't seem shocked. He smiled. "Wow. You got rid of him faster than I did." he commented. "Congratulations."

Lion-O just smiled back. He still has a hard time thinking that the tiger might have been dead. The emotional attachment was a difficult tie to sever, no matter how many times he reminded himself that this was a very different Tygra. This was the big difference between him and the other Lion-O.

"I have to tell you something." he thought he might as well let all the beans spill out. "The transference ball broke accidentally and Arachnor said it meant I was going to be stuck here permanently."

The reflection raised a brow, showing little surprise. "Well…" he spoke after a while. "I guess that makes my job easier then."

"What do you mean?"

The reflection met Lion-O eye to eye. "I was going to ask to switch places with you, permanently."

The lion's eyes widened. "Why?" was the first word he managed to say.

The other lion took a while to reply but he appeared serious when he did. "I love my family Lion-O. Don't get me wrong. But…in those two weeks that I was gone I….I did my wife a disservice."

Lion-O squinted. He wasn't sure what the other one meant.

"I made a sojourn and…" the reflection said. "You probably wouldn't understand. I was in so much confusion and stress and….and in a moment of weakness I gave in to temptation."

The lion's jaw dropped open.

"I felt I needed an escape and for that moment…it seemed like a way to release…feel free even temporarily." he tried to explain. He met the other lion's stare. "I had a tryst with someone…"

It was with that one sentence Lion-O realized the other difference between him and his alter ego.

"Look, I don't expect you to understand." the other lion seemed to read his thoughts. "Your strains and stressors are different than mine." he was quiet for a few seconds before he continued. "I had a fling, Lion-O. She didn't know who I truly was or that I was married. And for that moment it felt right, you know?"

Lion-O wasn't sure how to respond to that one.

"Anyway…Cheetara doesn't know since I was whisked off here after it happened. She's a great woman, Lion-O. She deserves better than a cheating husband."

"I'm sure she'll forgive you…" Lion-O couldn't believe he was saying this, but he did. "If you only did it once in a moment of indiscretion I'm sure she'll understand."

Neither of them spoke for a few moments. Lion-O's gaze wandered to the back of his reflection where his bed was. His eyes widened when he saw a young lioness in it. He recognized that it was not any of his concubines.

"Is that…"

The other lion nodded. "Tygra introduced her to me a few months ago. I didn't know she existed in this world as well."

Lion-O's lip tightened. He held back the desire to lash out at the other lion for breaking the marital trust between him and his wife. He knew in his heart that he would have never cheated on Cheetara.

"Like I've said I don't expect you to know what it was like." the reflection spoke again. "Our circumstances are gravely different." he seemed to read the other Lion-O's thoughts. "I'm not asking you to condone my faults, Lion-O. The only thing I ask is that you treat my wife better than I did."

Lion-O wondered if Commander Tygra had a point. Maybe this world's Lion-O didn't love her as much as he did?

"I know I will." he said in response.

"Trust lost is hard to regain. No marriage will last with a break of trust, I realize that." the other lion spoke. "I still love my wife, Lion-O, I do. Maybe you'll find that hard to believe doing what I did. I want her to be happy and if she feels happy with you then so be it."

The reflection then started fading, and before Lion-O could say another word, he had completely disappeared.

He stood there unmoving for several minutes, still trying to digest what had happened. He felt a surge of anger at his alter ego's treatment of his wife. Then again, he figured he didn't truly know what it was like to be in the other lion's shoes. Not completely anyway.

He crawled back into bed, his gaze moving to the gently sleeping cheetah. The streaks of moonlight softened her features. Lion-O felt a warm sensation in his chest. He promised that he would treat her as well as he possibly could. He started caressing her soft hair, running his claws through it.

He leaned over and planted a kiss on her cheek.

She stirred.

He pulled her closer and held her lovingly.

Lion-O pressed his lips to hers.

His hand slipped behind her back, caressing it.

She opened her eyes slightly when she felt his tongue try to push between her lips.

"Mmmm…" she spoke sleepily. "Isn't it a little too early for this?"

He laughed deep in his throat as he resumed invading her mouth. His hand moved to slip the straps of her night gown off. Once down, he pushed it all the way down to her waist. He pushed his naked chest against hers, pressing her full breasts on him. Her nipples rubbed on his soft fur, hardening at the contact.

His kisses moved to her ear, lapping, nibbling, tracing its outline. His tongue traced a path then to her neck. She shifted in the bed, allowing him better access to it as he gently bit on it. She was still hallway asleep and had placed her hand on his back, rubbing it affectionately. He pulled back to admire her still sleepy face. She did manage to smile a little at him. She looked like she was still in dreamland.

"I love you." he said as he pushed a strand of hair that fell on her face.

"I love you too hon." she replied.

He resumed his journey downwards, kissing a trail to the middle of her chest. He heard her gasp when his hand went to her full breast and fondled it, rubbing the firm nipple with his thumb. He moved to the opposite side and started running his tongue on the peak. He had a little taste of her breastmilk as he sucked on it. She started purring as he continued his onslaught on her breasts. If she had been lolling earlier, he was quite sure she was awake now.

Lion-O started towards the hem of her sleeping gown, lifting it up to her waist. He hooked a finger on the side of her panties and slowly dragged it down before carelessly discarding it. She moved restlessly beneath him as he slipped his hand between her thighs. His thumb rubbed at pinnacle of her folds while his fingers slid between them. He felt her squeeze his fingers with her muscles as she started to get wet.

"You and your funny timing." she spoke breathlessly as she bit her lip. She tightened her grip on his fingers as they continued to pleasure her core. She clutched at a nearby pillow when she started that all too familiar feeling that began in the center of her loins. Her legs stiffened, she pushed her head back as she climaxed under his touch.

The lion then impatiently discarded his underwear as it became too small to accommodate his excitement. Nothing turned him on more than hearing his wife call his name out in ecstasy. He moved above her, pushing her legs apart and wrapping them around his waist. He tentatively probed with the moist tip of his manhood, testing her wetness a few times before slowly penetrating her with his eager shaft. He bit his own lip as he felt her wet warmth envelop him. For some unusual reason this mating felt a bit different from all their previous sessions. He savored the sensation of her muscles surround and gripped his member inside her. He then started moving in and out, slowly picking up the pace. He held her hips in place as he pounded her, progressively getting more aggressive as the minutes passed. He gritted his teeth as he felt himself coming. With a grunt he released himself inside her. Her hands had gotten around his buttocks and squeezed them as she followed suit with her own orgasm a few seconds after him.

When he finally caught his breath, Lion-O fell along side his spouse, holding her against him as she turned to the side. He buried his head on the nape of her neck as he purred.

"Marry me, my love." he whispered in her ear.

This caused her to look bewilderedly at him over her shoulder. "We are married, King Lion-O." she raised a brow. "Who do you think you're sleeping with, hmmm?"

"That's not what I meant." he chuckled as he licked the outer curve of her ear. "You're married to the other me." he clarified. "I want you to marry me. This Lion-O. The one who loves, adores and worships you more than any other version of me in the universe."

She turned over to look him in the eye, a puzzled expression still on her features. "You know how weird the whole kingdom will think that's going to be?"

He reached over to cup her cheek, his thumb caressing it. "We don't have to have a grandiose ceremony in front of everyone." he said. "It'll just be you, me and the clergy." he paused before adding. "Maybe we'll throw the kids, Kit and Panthro in there too, just for kicks."

She laughed as she partially got off the pillow and rested her head on an arm. "Okay…well then…I accept your proposal my sweet king."

He sealed the deal with a peck on her lips.

"I better start picking a bridal gown then." she said as she buried herself in the covers. Lion-O wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close, smiling to himself as he slowly started going back to sleep.

He couldn't wait until they were declared husband and wife. Officially. He wasn't going to be merely the substitute lion in another cat's place.

He didn't feel he had any more shoes to fill. He was going to make them his own.

-The End-

* * *

_Author notes:_

_Like I said, this was a re-write. My baby boy had deleted my original work, but I suppose it was a blessing in disguise. I feel this is a stronger piece than what I had originally written._

_As usual, comments and reviews are welcome and encouraged. _

_Lion-O: So, whatever happened to evil Tygra?_

_Me: He gets his own spin-off._

_Lion-O: Why? Oh come on, you've written plenty about Prince Snarky. What about me?_

_Tygra: Hey, not her fault she adores me more. I'm obviously more writing-material-worthy than you are._

_Me: If anything, I probably love Cheetara the most. She's in all of my stories :-)_

_Tygra: Hey, can we get more make-out scenes next time? Coz I would really like that._

_Lion-O: Yikes. I don't want to make out with you. Gross!_

_Tygra: I'm not talking about you and me! Hentai head! I meant Cheetara and me._

_Lion-O: You already got to make out with her on national television. My turn!_

_Me: Settle down you two or I'm going to have you both make out with Panthro. Or Mumm-Ra!_

_*Panthro and Mumm-Ra take off in the thudertank as fast as they could…._

_2/13/2012_


End file.
